Cessna 152 accident near Tiptonville, Tennessee, September 1, 1989
On September 1, 1989 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25799, was destroyed in an accident near Tiptonville, Tennessee (Reelfoot Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE AFTER TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL CUES, HIS HABIT OF MAKING SHALLOW CLIMBS AFTER TAKEOFF, HIS LACK OF RECENT NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND THE TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1989 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Tiptonville, Tennessee · Reelfoot Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N25799 · no longer on the register · serial 15280791
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT MADE A NGT TAKEOFF FM AN ARPT ON LEVEL TERRAIN IN A SPARSELY POPULATED AREA. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A GROUP OF TREES ABOUT 1/3 MI FROM THE DEP END OF THE RWY & SLIGHTLY LEFT OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. IT REMAINED AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT 225 FT BEYOND THE TREES, THEN CRASHED IN A CORN FIELD. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD LAST LOGGED NIGHT FLT EXPERIENCE ABOUT 16 MONTHS EARLIER. HE HAD OBTAINED A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW FROM A CFI, 2 DAYS BEFORE THE ACDNT. THE CFI RPRTD THAT THE PLT HAD DEMONSTRATED A TENDENCY TO MAKE SHALLOW CLIMBS AFTER TAKING OFF. THE CFI, WHO WAS ACQUAINTED WITH THE PLT, EXPRESSED THE OPINION THAT THE PLT HAD DEVELOPED THE TENDENCY WHEN HE PREVIOUSLY OWNED AN ACFT WITH POOR CLIMB PERFORMANCE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 725 hours in all; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,497 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 1989; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DYR Dyersburg TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:49 am from DYR, 28 miles away
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.