Cessna 152 accident near Reidsville, North Carolina, October 26, 1988
On October 26, 1988 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4713B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reidsville, North Carolina (Rockingham CO 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 26, 1988 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Reidsville, North Carolina · Rockingham CO · 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
- N4713B · registry record · serial 1528393
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE NOSE '...WAS WANTING TO COME UP SOONER THAN IT SHOULD' DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLT; HE CHECKED THE ELEVATOR TRIM AND FOUND IT PROPERLY SET. HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE REDUCED THE PWR AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE AIRPLANE 'GOT AHEAD' OF HIM AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP, AND VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THE STUDENT NOTED THAT HIS INSTRUCTOR HAD BRIEFED HIM TO EXPECT INCREASED TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE WITH ONLY ONE PERSON ON BOARD; HOWEVER, HE WAS SUPRISED BY THE INCREASED PERFORMANCE. HE SAID HE HAD APPARENTLY APPLIED EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE LEFT BRAKE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, AS THE LEFT TIRE HAD LEFT A SKID MARK ON THE RWY.
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: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,117 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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.
Other NTSB records under N4713B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.