# NTSB FTW95LA155: Cessna 152, N5426B, Graham, TX, April 1, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 31, 1995, 21:00 local (Apr 1, 1995, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Graham, TX - Coordinates: 33.099864, -98.569633 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0999&lon=-98.5696&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 23, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19382 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW95LA155 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19382/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW95LA155 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN PROPER LIFT-OFF SPEED RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS WERE THE SELECTION OF THE TAXIWAY FOR TAKE-OFF AND THE INOPERATIVE LANDING LIGHT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - light condition - bright night - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (contributing factor) - landing light(s) - inoperative (contributing factor) - airspeed(vlof) - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) ## Analysis THE STUDENT PILOT LOST TRACK OF TIME AND IT WAS DARK WHEN HE DECIDED TO TAKE OFF TO RETURN TO HIS HOME BASE. ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT ENDORSED FOR NIGHT FLIGHT, HE WAS CONCERNED HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT WOULD BE ANGRY WITH HIM. THE PILOT FOLLOWED 'GREEN LIGHTS' AND INADVERTENTLY MADE A SHORT-FIELD TAKEOFF FROM A 900-FOOT TAXIWAY. ACCORDING TO PILOT, THE NOSE PITCHED UP AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE TO RECOVER, BUT WAS FORCED TO RAISE THE NOSE AGAIN BECAUSE OF TREES AHEAD. THE AIRPLANE 'STALLED AGAIN' AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. DURING AN FAA INTERVIEW, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LANDING LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE AND HE TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY WITH THE GREEN LIGHTS. ## Factual narrative On March 31, 1995, approximately 2100 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N5426B, was destroyed when it collided with trees shortly after taking off from Graham, Texas. The student pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The following is based on the pilot/operator report. The student pilot departed Bridgeport, Texas, at 1700 on a solo cross-country flight to Graham, Texas. After dinner and shopping at a local department store, he realized he had lost track of time because it was dark. Even though he was not endorsed for night flight, he decided he had to return to Bridgeport because, "I thought my instructor and the president of the school will be real mad at me and I will be in deep trouble, first for not getting back before dark and second, I didn't have a night rating." The pilot followed "green lights" and made a short-field takeoff. "As I pitched up, the aircraft stalled." The pilot lowered the nose to recover, but was forced to raise the nose again because of trees ahead. The airplane "stalled again" and collided with trees. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who went to the accident site, the pilot took off on what he thought was a runway, but was actually a 900-foot east-west taxiway. During an FAA interview, the pilot reported that the landing light was inoperative and he taxied to the runway with green lights on it. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5426B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5426B-2001-11-02), registration cancelled 2001-11-02, S/N 15283868, built 1979 (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: 15283868 - Airframe hours: 2967 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bridgeport Flt Trng Cntr - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 10, 1995, 58 hours before - Destination: 1F9, BRIDGEPORT, TX - Airport: E15, Graham Municipal ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 30 total, 30 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 0° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 64 °F ## 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 19950331006609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950331006609A), Mar 31, 1995: Cessna 152, Graham, TX, Substantial damage. Student tookoff on taxiway. Nose pitched up. Stalled. Recovered but stalled into trees. No night sign off. 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.