Cessna 152 accident near Murfreesboro, North Carolina, October 17, 1987
On October 17, 1987 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757AD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murfreesboro, North Carolina. 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1987 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Murfreesboro, North Carolina · 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
- N757AD · registry record · serial 15279578
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT BECAME LOST ON THE RETURN LEG OF HIS 1ST SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLT. HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LDG IN A PLOWED FIELD AFTER OBSERVING THE ACFT FUEL GAUGES INDICATING NEAR EMPTY. THE ACFT NOSEWHEEL SANK INTO SOFT DIRT DURING ROLLOUT AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. TOTAL ELAPSED FLT TIME SINCE BEGINNING THE FLT WITH FULL FUEL TANKS WAS REPORTEDLY 2.6 HRS. THE CESSNA 152 POH INDICATES THAT THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE HAD AN EXPECTED ENDURANCE IN EXCESS OF 3 HRS UNDER EXISTING CONDITIONS. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED APPROX 10 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION ARPT.
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: 39 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,635 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1987; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W78 South Boston VA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: ASJ Ahoskie NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ATL88LA014.