Cessna 152 accident near Seale, Alabama, May 23, 1992
On May 23, 1992 at about 6:37 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49449, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seale, Alabama. 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WAS THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1992 · about 6:37 pm local time
- Place
- Seale, Alabama · map
- 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
- N49449 · no longer on the register · serial 15281276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD JUST LEVELED OFF THE AIPLANE ON THE REURN LEG OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. AS SHE BEGAN TO LEAN THE MIXTURE, THE ENGINE RPM WENT FROM 2400 TO ABOUT 500. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, SHE SET UP FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER (A COMMERCIAL PILOT) ATTEMPTED THE FORCED LANDING DUE TO HIS HIGHER EXPERIENCE LEVEL. UPON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND A LARGE DIRT BANK. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALLED THAT THERE WAS ADEQUEATE FUEL ON BOARD THE AICRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN ON THE AIRFRAME AFTER THE INSPECTION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THT THERE WERE NUMEROUS OBSTRUCTION-FREE AREAS WHERE A FORCED LANDING COULD HAVE BEENSUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 276 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 219 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,090 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 11, 1992; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atlanta Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: EUF Eufaula AL at 6:11 pm
- Destination: MGE Marietta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from CSG, 18 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.