- Date
- January 1, 1987, 12:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Newville, AL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8780SCessna 150F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870101000759A
- Case key
- 7277
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
The aircraft was observed flying at low levels during an orientation/pleasure flight for a friend's out-of-town relative visiting over the holidays. The professional military pilot had been checked out in the civilian Cessna 150 six weeks prior to the accident. The pilot's record indicated no prior civilian flight experience. The aircraft was found in a wooded area after colliding with trees at 137 mph at a 33 degree descent angle. The investigation did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8780S
- Reported as
- Cessna 150F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15062080
- Airframe hours
- 3,347
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ozark Air Service
- Registered owner
- Bobby Harrell/Harry Gravett
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 10, 1986 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- 71J · Ozark, AL
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 5,721 total · 1 in this make and model · 3,973 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DHN, 14 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.
Other investigations on N8780S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.