NTSB BFO89LA076 — 1989-08-26 · GAITHERSBURG, Maryland, United States

Current FAA registration · N6840G

Make / Model: CESSNA 150L
Year of manufacture: 1970 · 19 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES (100 hp)
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19710301
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A91472

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N6840G Cessna 150 None

Probable cause & findings

AN UNDETERMINED PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE THE AIRPLANE OR OBTAIN PROPER ASSISTANCE.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE & DECIDED TO PULL THE PROP THROUGH BY HAND. HE STATED HE REMOVED THE IGNITION KEY, PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE & THE MIXTURE TO IDLE CUT-OFF. WHEN HE TURNED THE PROP, THE ENGINE STARTED & THE ACFT BEGAN TO TAXI. IT TRAVELED INTO A PARKED CESSNA SKYHAWK, WHICH WAS PUSHED INTO A CESSNA SKYLANE & A PIPER ARROW. NO MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO START. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_BFO89LA076.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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