Cessna 152 N89043

Summary

On 4 July 2000 at about 12:45 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N89043 was involved in an accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 July 2000 at 12:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Murfreesboro Municipal (MBT)

Coordinates

35.8494, -86.3891

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N89043

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA00FA201

1 person died.

the flight instructor's failure to maintain an airspeed above the aircraft's stall speed, which resulted in a stall/mush, and an inflight loss of control while maneuvering to return to a landing area during an emergency, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with a residence, and the ground. Factors contributing to the accident were an improper flap setting, and the aircraft's gross weight being exceeded.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot stated that it had been his third flight lesson, and his first in a Cessna 152 since he did not want to pay the extra $20.00 to fly the remaining 180 horsepower Cessna 172. The student stated that the aircraft tanks he believed the fuel tanks had been topped off, and that during the takeoff/initial climb, the aircraft got to an altitude of about 50 to 100 ft, and seemed as if it did not have enough power to fly. He said the engine did not malfunction in any way, was developing the proper "rpms", and had a normal engine sound, but that the airplane just seemed as if it did not have enough power to fly. He said that his instructor immediately took control and turned the aircraft back toward the airport, but as they were in the turn, the last thing he remembered was the stall warning horn going off after the turn had been initiated, just before they dropped. Witnesses to the accident confirmed that the aircraft engine was operating at the time of impact, and postaccident examination of the aircraft and engine did not reveal any mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft or any on its systems. The flaps were confirmed to be at set at 20 degrees, and a postaccident analysis revealed that the aircraft weighed about 1,713 lbs, and that the computed density altitude at the time of the accident, was about 2,000 feet. In addition, two propeller slash marks at the scene, 14 inches apart, indicated a ground speed of about 41 knots, and an engine speed of about 1,774 rpms at impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.