Cessna 152 accident near Pell City, Alabama, October 6, 1985
On October 6, 1985 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49446, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pell City, Alabama (Pell City airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1985 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pell City, Alabama · Pell City · 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
- N49446 · no longer on the register · serial 15281273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING A X-WIND LANDING. THE STUDENT PLT STATED HE CRABBED THE ACFT INTOTHE WIND TO COMPENSATE FOR THE X-WIND DURING THE APCH. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN STILL IN THE CRABBED POSITION AND TRAVELED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED A TETRAHEDRON AND THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTED A DITCH RESULTING IN THE ACFT NOSING OVER.
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: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BHM Birmingham AL at 4:20 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 2, 4,200 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.