# NTSB CEN15CA073: Cessna 152, N25979, Berrien Springs, MI, December 6, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 6, 2014, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Berrien Springs, MI - Coordinates: 41.949722, -86.366668 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9497&lon=-86.3667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 10, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 90480 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15CA073 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90480/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90480 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15CA073 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing and his poor decision not to abort the landing before the airplane traveled off the end of the airstrip. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 115 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 84 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot landed on the 1,944 foot long grass airstrip and traveled off the end of the airstrip, crossing a paved intersecting runway. The airplane continued to travel another 60 feet where it struck an embankment. The airplane traveled another 30 feet before nosing over causing substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot stated that a gust of wind caused him to lose directional control of the airplane before it nosed over; however wind reported at a nearby airport was variable at 6 knots. It could not be determined if the airplane touched down at too high of an airspeed or if the pilot landed long on the airstrip. ## Factual narrative The airplane nosed over during the landing roll. The 83-year-old pilot landed on the 1,944 foot long grass airstrip, and the airplane continued off the end of the airstrip and crossed over the paved intersecting runway. The airplane then continued to travel 60 feet where it struck an embankment, and another 30 feet before nosing over and substantially damaging the firewall. The pilot stated that a gust of wind caused him to lose directional control of the airplane before it nosed over. The wind reported at the Benton Harbor Airport, located 13 miles from the accident airport, was variable at 6 knots. The pilot purchased the airplane in 1983, and the aircraft registration lapsed in 2011. The pilot told the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he could not find his aircraft or pilot logbooks, and that he did not know when he last had a flight review. The pilot's last FAA airmen medical was dated December 15, 1983. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N25979](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N25979), registered now, S/N 15280892 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15280892 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: C20, Berrien Springs, MI - Destination: C20, Berrien Springs, MI - Airport: C20, Andrews University Airpark, runway 21, 1,944 × 115 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 83; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 140 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.52 inHg - Observed at: BEH, 13 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20141206021819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141206021819A), Dec 6, 2014: Cessna 152, Berrien Springs, MI, Substantial damage. On 12/06/2014 this Cessna CE-152, N25979 was involved in a aircraft accident. Aircraft was landing runway 21 at andrews airpark, C20 and crossed intersecting… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 19, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90480. 503 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 162 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422788&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Aircraft Registration Letters (item 2, .PDF, 270 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422789&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20Registration%20Letters-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422790&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.