- Date
- July 14, 1990, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Marais, MN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N21LACessna 152 II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900714025719A
- Case key
- 14715
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Undetermined partial loss of engine power during the initial climbout. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
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 private pilot stated that the airplane performed normally during the run-up, takeoff, climbout, and a brief local flight. She returned to the traffic pattern for landings. She reported that during climbout after the first touch and go, she noticed a 'severe lack of power in the engine.' She was unable to maintain altitude, and the airplane descended into a wooded area. The pilot stated that the engine remained running at reduced RPM until ground impact. The pilot reported a total flight time of 80 hours, including 78 hours in the accident make and model airplane. The engine had 2,960 hours total time, and had never been overhauled. The cause of the partial loss of power was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N21LA
- Reported as
- Cessna 152 II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15279587
- Airframe hours
- 2,960
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Turners Skyport Lodge
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 31, 1990 · 52 hours before
- Airport
- GRM · Grand Marais, runway 9, 2,800 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 80 total · 78 in this make and model · 52 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.