Eastern West Virginia Reg Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Martinsburg, West Virginia 25401
Sunday, March 3, 1985 13:06 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT TOOK OFF ON RWY 35 & DEPARTED THE ARPT WITHOUT CONTACTING THE TOWER. APRX 30 MIN LATER, HE RETURNED & MADE SVRL MISSED APCHS, STILL WITHOUT CONTACTING THE TOWER. TOWER PSNL TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PLT & USED LIGHT SIGNALS WHILE DIRECTING OTHER TRAFFIC. THE PLT STATED (LATER) THAT HE SAW A C-130 ACFT ON THE TAXIWAY AS WELL AS SVRL OTHER LIGHT CIVIL ACFT IN THE AREA. HE THEN STATED THAT HE BECAME DISORIENTED & LOST CONTROL. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP CIRCLING MANEUVER WHICH TERMINATED WHEN THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND & THE ACFT FINALLY CAME TO REST BETWEEN RWY 8/26 & THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY. THE 75 YR OLD PLT HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE CESSNA 150, HAD NOT FLOWN IN THE PREVIOUS 90 DAYS & HAD NEVER RECEIVED A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/3/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1306
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MARTINSBURG
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25401
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA REG
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MRB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 551
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1306 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 557
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1161
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 3 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28506
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6562F
NTSB Number BFO85LA021
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 15063162
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 18 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1941
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES F. ROUSS
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 5 BOX 130
Aircraft Owner City MARTINSBURY
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 25401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 5001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --