Cessna 152 accident near Manassas, Virginia, February 24, 1985
On February 24, 1985 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4599L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manassas, Virginia (Manassas 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
- February 24, 1985 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Manassas, Virginia · Manassas
- 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
- N4599L · no longer on the register · serial 15284189
- 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 AFTER THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING, HE OBSERVED ABOUT 1000 BIRDS AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. HE ELECTED TO TURN OFF AT THE 1ST AVAILABLE TAXIWAY. HOWEVER, HIS SPEED WAS TOO FAST TO NEGOTIATE THE TURN & THE ACFT WENT OFF THE HARD SURFACE & ONTO THE GRASS. THE NOSE GEAR SANK INTO SOFT, WET TERRAIN & THE ACFT STOPPED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. ABOUT 8 TO 10 SEC LATER, THE WIND BLEW THE ACFT OVER. THE PLT HAD LANDED WITH A QUARTERING TAIL WIND.
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: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,906 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 20, 1985; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dulles Aviation INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34L, 3,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from W10
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 N4599L 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.