Cessna 152 accident near Knightdale, North Carolina, February 27, 1992
On February 27, 1992 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5488M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knightdale, North Carolina (Raleigh East 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 STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTOR(S) IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND CONDITIONS PREVAILING AT THE AIRPORT, AND THE SOFT, MUDDY TERRAIN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1992 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Knightdale, North Carolina · Raleigh East · 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
- N5488M · registry record · serial 15284596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT PERFORMED THREE CROSSWIND LANDINGS, THEN PROCEEDED TO THE NORTHEAST TO PRACTICE AIRWORK. HE THEN RETURNED TO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, AND SET UP FOR A SOFT FIELD LANDING. THE FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN WERE UNEVENTFUL. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIPLANE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT, AND THE PILOT' S CONTROL INPUTS WERE NOT SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT THE AIRPLANE FROM DEPARTING THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE AIRCRAFT BOGGED DOWN IN SOFT MUD, THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS FOUND DURING A POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE.
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: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,966 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 24, 1992; 87 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 1, 3,000 ft by 36 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from RDU, 16 miles away
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.
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.