- Date
- February 12, 1989, 16:55 local (23:55 UTC)
- Place
- Green Valley, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5496BCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890212003479A
- Case key
- 26339
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
The student pilot displayed poor judgement in not maintaining proper altitude. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's overall lack of experience.
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
During cruise flight, the student pilot initially reported, the airplane collided with a bird. The pilot reported that the rudder control was not operating and during the forced landing on a highway the airplane collided with a transmission wire. It was pointed out that there was no evidence of a bird strike. The pilot then changed his story and stated that he collided with a parachutist. There was no report of a missing person or incident in the area. The pilot then stated that the airplane collided with something. A round gouge was found on the top one third of the vertical stabilizer. The stabilizer was bent slightly to the left side and partially jammed the movement of the rudder. The student pilot was carrying a passenger who stated that he was asleep and had no knowledge of the accident the student pilot did not file an accident report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5496B
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283886
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Double Eagle Aviation
- Registered owner
- Gregory, George T. Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TUS · Tucson, AZ
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 26 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 18 knots
- Visibility
- 70 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.