Cessna 150L accident near Philippi, WV
On July 25, 1996, a Cessna 150L (airplane) was involved in an accident near Philippi, WV. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 25, 1996
- Place
- Philippi, WV
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.150°N, 80.040°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06267
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 25, 1996, at 1948 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N21953, collided with a tree while maneuvering at low altitude and impacted the ground near Philippi, West Virginia. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed from Fairmont Municipal Airport, Fairmont, West Virginia at approximately 1930 eastern daylight time. The FAA Inspector stated that the airplane was kept in a Tee hangar at Philippi-Barbour County Regional Airport in Philippi, West Virginia. The pilot's departure time from this airport is unknown, but a witness at Fairmont Municipal Airport stated that she saw the pilot arrive there at approximately 1900 eastern daylight time. The witness stated that she watched the pilot taxi up, get out of the airplane and asked for fuel. The witness stated that she told the pilot that the fuel was self serve, and that he went back and fueled the airplane. The witness stated that she thought that she had caught the smell of alcohol on the pilot's breath when he came in to pay for the fuel, but was not sure. As the pilot was leaving, the witness remembered telling the pilot that the nose tire on his airplane looked as if it was flat, but the pilot ignored her. As the pilot was going to his airplane, another individual approached the witness and asked if she thought that the pilot had been drinking. The witness remembered telling this individual that she was
Probable cause
the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol, his resultant improper planning/decision, and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from trees, while maneuvering at low altitude. Intentional maneuvering at low altitude was a related factor.
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Browse: West Virginia · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
