Cessna 152 accident near Lebanon, Tennessee, March 15, 1994
On March 15, 1994 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N95010, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lebanon, Tennessee (Lebanon Airport). It was an instructional 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
THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AFTER THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DEVELOP TAKEOFF POWER. THE STUDENT PILOT ALSO DELAYED IN RELINQUISHING THE FLIGHT CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. A FACTOR IS THE INADEQUATE PERFORMANCE OF THE 100 HOUR AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1994 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Tennessee · Lebanon Airport · 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
- N95010 · no longer on the register · serial 152-85836
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT WERE CONDUCTING ROUTINE FLIGHT TRAINING FROM A SOD AIRSTRIP. DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE FAILED TO DEVELOP FULL POWER. WHEN THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING FULL POWER, HE INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO ABORT. THE STUDENT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF, AND WOULD NOT RELINQUISH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE TAKEOFF CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, AND COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE AND A TREE. THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED DEPOSITS OF CARBON IN ONE CYLINDER AND ON THE SPARK PLUG FOR THAT CYLINDER. A HUNDRED HOUR AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED THREE HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,225 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,578 as pilot in command; 212 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,871 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 19, 1994; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQY Smyrna TN at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 1,801 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from BNA, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N95010 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.