Cessna 152 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, March 28, 2022
On March 28, 2022, a 1977 Cessna 152, registered N915AA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to adequately monitor the student pilot which resulted in an impact with terrain and a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2022
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1977 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N915AA · registry record · serial 15280359
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, while on final approach to land, he noticed that the student pilot had allowed the airplane’s airspeed to decay. In an effort to correct for the decaying airspeed he assumed control and pitched the airplane down to no avail. The airplane impacted short of the runway and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 509 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 407 as pilot in command; 86 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 49.5 hours in all; 42.1 in this make and model; 18.9 in the last 90 days; 10.1 in the last 30 days; 0.7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PAMR
Weather report (METAR): PAMR 280053Z 32004KT 10SM BKN060 OVC070 03/M04 A2971 RMK AO2 SLP063 T00281039
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC22LA026.