Morrisey 2150A accident near Ellisburg, New York, August 24, 1999
On August 24, 1999 at about 6:06 pm local time, a Morrisey 2150A, registered N312BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellisburg, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delay in applying carburetor heat which resulted in the loss of power, and his misjudgment of the flare during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1999 · about 6:06 pm local time
- Place
- Ellisburg, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Morrisey 2150A · all 2150As on the register
- Registration
- N312BW · registry record · serial SP-44
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane climbed to an unspecified altitude, then descended to 1,100 feet over Lake Ontario. The pilot attempted to increase power three times, and on the third attempt, the engine lost power. The pilot stated he applied carburetor heat prior to the descent, then recycled the heat when the engine lost power, and headed for a field. He left the flaps up during the descent to reduce drag. The airplane reached the field, then dropped quickly, and impacted the ground in an upright position. The landing gear mounts were driven up through the wings, and the airplane came to rest about 2/3 of the way into a 600- by 250-yard field. An icing probability chart indicated a probability of moderate icing - cruise power, or serious icing - glide power. The pilot's latest third class medical certificate was issued on August 18, 1982. At that time, the pilot had 334 hours of flight time. The airplane was registered to the pilot on May 13, 1992.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,817 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Adams NY at 5:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from ART, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.