Cessna 152 accident near Parkersburg, West Virginia, October 28, 1985
On October 28, 1985 at about 1:46 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48987, was substantially damaged in an accident near Parkersburg, West Virginia (Wood County airport). It was a personal 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
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 28, 1985 · about 1:46 am local time
- Place
- Parkersburg, West Virginia · Wood County
- 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
- N48987 · no longer on the register · serial 15281088
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WHILE ON A BASELEG FOR LANDING. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A CORN FIELD APPROX 1.5 MILES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY BECAUSE HE DID NOT THINK HE COULD MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY. THE PLT WAS RETURNING HOME TO CINCINATTI, OH FROM BALTIMORE, MD.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 229 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 162 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,650 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 6, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTP Baltimore MD at 10:26 pm
- Destination: I77 Cincinnati OH
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from PKB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.