Cessna 152 accident near Blountville, Tennessee, March 5, 1989
On March 5, 1989 at about 3:29 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25524, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blountville, Tennessee (Tri-City Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CARBURETOR ICE. THE PILOT FAILED TO APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT IN A TIMELY AND ADEQUATE MANNER. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN THE ACCUMULATION OF ICE TO A POINT OF FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WHICH ELIMINATED THE HEAT NECESSARY TO REMOVE THE ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1989 · about 3:29 am local time
- Place
- Blountville, Tennessee · Tri-City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N25524 · no longer on the register · serial 15280715
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, HE WAS IN CRUISE FLT AT 3,000 FT WHEN HIS ENGINE DEVELOPED A MISS AND BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. AFTER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHICH INCLUDED APPLYING CARB HEAT, THERE WAS A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE. SHORTLY, THE ENGINE QUIT COMPLETELY AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE AND POWER LINE AT OR NEAR STALL SPEED. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. AFTER RECOVERY OF THE AIRPLANE, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED SATISFACTORILY. THE EXISTING AMBIENT ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 417 hours in all; 233 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 267 as pilot in command; 93 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,884 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 1989; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dominion Aerospace CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Blountville TN at 3:19 am
- Destination: 6A8 Abingdon VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from TRI, 6 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.