FTW88DPJ08

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 152 · Heavener, OK · July 20, 1988

Accident · Minor injuriesFinal report

Date: July 20, 1988, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
Place: Heavener, OK
Injuries: 1 minor
Damage: Substantial damage
Phase of flight: Enroute
Aircraft: N68700Cessna 152
Weather: Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status: Completed · report July 10, 1989
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19880720048739A
Case key: 22458

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

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.

In flight encounter with weatherDescent - normal

Weather condition - low ceilingFactor

In-flight planning/decision - poorPilot in commandCause

Weather condition - obscurationFactor

Vfr flight into imc - continuedPilot in commandCause

In flight collision with objectDescent - normal

Terrain condition - high terrainFactor

Object - tree(s)Factor

Analysis

During a cross country training flight, the non-instrument rated pilot flew into IMC conditions while descending. The pilot attempted to climb into VFR conditions but when that was not successful a descent was begun in an effort to breakout into VFR conditions. During the descent the aircraft collided with trees.

Aircraft

Registration: N68700
Reported as: Cessna 152
Category: Airplane
Serial number: 15285330
Airframe hours: 2,227
Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Instructional · Part 91
Operator: Nichollos Aviation Inc.
Registered owner: Gulf Aire Enterprises Inc.
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
Last inspection: Annual · June 15, 1988 · 41 hours before
Departed: LFK · Lufkin, TX
Destination: M39 · Mena, AR
Flight plan: VFR

N68700Registration cancelled Feb 6, 1991 · Cessna 152S/N 15285330 Airframe modelCessna 152

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: 20
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Medical: Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Left
Flight hours: 127 total · 127 in this make and model · 38 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions: Instrument (IMC) · Day

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19880720048739ACessna 152 · Heavener, OKFlew into clouds near destination. Descended into the side of a ridge trying to get below cloud layer.Jul 20, 1988 · N68700 · Substantial damage