- Date
- September 20, 1992, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Ottawa, IL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4591PCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19920920037739A
- Case key
- 15314
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
Pilot did not maintain a proper airspeed which led to an inadvertent stall/spin at a low altitude where the pilot could not perform a recovery.
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
Shortly after takeoff, the airplane was observed turning as if to return for landing. A witness reported observing it maneuvering to line up for a landing on the runway opposite its takeoff runway. The witness stated he observed the airplane wings level and moving sideways. The airplane then stalled and spun to the ground. On-scene investigation revealed that the landing flaps were fully extended. The airplane was equipped with an faa-approved short takeoff or landing (stol) wing modification. The height of the wing flow fences were found to be incorrect according to the STC drawings. An FAA test pilot stated that he had required that the flow fences be lowered due to aerodynamic instabilities with fences too high. Other similar airplanes were found with the wing flow fences too high. Investigation into the pilot's flying habits revealed that he often performed wing's level rudder turns. The investigation also revealed a partial magneto failure which would have resulted in a partial loss of engine power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4591P
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15284775
- Airframe hours
- 4,207
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Legends, R.E. & J.K. Brown
- Registered owner
- Legends, R.E. & J.K. Brown
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 2, 1992 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- C13
- Destination
- STL · St. Louis, MO
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- C13 · Ottawa, runway 5, 3,125 × 50 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
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,876 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 1,751 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ARR, 34 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.