- Date
- November 20, 1984, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bumpass, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N22741Cessna 150H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841120076599A
- Case key
- 6713
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
VFR plt was using VOR airway navigation. He arrived in the vicinity of destination after dark and attempted to locate the arpt by flying a radial from the VOR; however, he used the 230 degree radial (published radial is 237 degrees). Further, the arpt is unlighted unless prior arrangements are made. Plt had not done so. Plt flew back and forth along the 230 radial for 45 mins but did not sight arpt. During this time, plt called arpt on UNICOM for the active runway. Unknown plt responded with wind direction, but no answer from arpt. Plt did not attempt to obtain assist from ARTCC or other facility. (There were 7 arpts within a 10 mi radius of the VOR in use.) When fuel became critical, plt looked for emerg lndg site but fuel exhaustion occurred. Plt set up min descent rate and allowed acft to settle into trees. Acft lodged in trees and the plt sustained serious injuries upon deplaning when he fell 20 ft to the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N22741
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15068486
- Airframe hours
- 3,315
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Donald A.Massey
- Registered owner
- Nancy K. Massey
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 26, 1984 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- PSF · Pittsfield, MA
- Destination
- W07 · Fredericksburg, VA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 526 total · 152 in this make and model · 396 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DCA, 60 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.