Cessna 152 N45936

Summary

On 21 June 1995 at about 01:30 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N45936, operated by Alpine Aviation, was involved in an accident near Craig, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 June 1995 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Craig, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

40.5204, -107.5508

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N45936

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Alpine Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vernal → Provo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA255

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT BECAME LOST AND DISORIENTED, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING AND THE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON THE RETURN LEG OF A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE COURSE DEVIATION INDICATOR TO CENTER, SO HE USED PILOTAGE TO NAVIGATE. HE WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY LANDMARKS AND ENTERED A WRONG CANYON. HE SIGHTED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 15 AND BELIEVED HE WAS SOUTH OF PROVO (IT WAS ACTUALLY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 80 AND THE PILOT WAS IN NORTHERN UTAH). AFTER FOLLOWING THE HIGHWAY FOR SOME TIME, THE PILOT REALIZED HE HAD MADE A MISTAKE AND TURNED AROUND. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSEWHEEL FOLDED BACK AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. A PLACARD ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL READ, 'TO/FROM FLAG REVERSED TEMPORARILY.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.