Cessna 152 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, January 9, 1992
On January 9, 1992 at about 12:05 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69004, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, THE ICY RUNWAY CONDITION, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 1992 · about 12:05 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N69004 · no longer on the register · serial 15282426
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT, WITH 1 HOUR OF SOLO FLIGHT TIME, WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT NIGHT ON A SNOW PACKED ICY RUNWAY WHEN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF AND COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK. DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PILOT COULD NOT ASCERTAIN THE POSITION OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION AND RUN UP OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. THERE WAS NO INSTRUCTOR ENDORSEMENT IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK AUTHORIZING NIGHT FLIGHT OPERATIONS. THE MANNER IN WHICH SOLO FLIGHT LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS WERE TO BE PERFORMED WAS NOT STIPULATED BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,351 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 6, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 18,000 ft; scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 28.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.