Cessna 152 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, March 25, 1995
On March 25, 1995 at about 4:54 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67563, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE STUDENT PILOT'S LANDING APPROACH. THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY TOUCH-DOWN POINT, AND A SNOW BERM AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1995 · about 4:54 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N67563 · registry record · serial 15281913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT TO PREPARE A STUDENT PILOT FOR A PRIVATE PILOT CHECK-RIDE, THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT WERE CONDUCTING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. ON THE THIRD LANDING, THE STUDENT UNDERSHOT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A 30 INCH SNOW BERM, ABOUT 15 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID ABOUT 200 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,670 hours in all; 2,350 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command; 3,030 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,686 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 1995; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Pro Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PAQ Palmer AK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: MRI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,640 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from MRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.