Cessna 152 accident near Manassas, Virginia, April 25, 1989
On April 25, 1989 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6558L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manassas, Virginia (Manassas Municipal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE SLIGHT CROSSWIND AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1989 · about 8:15 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Manassas, Virginia · Manassas Municipal · cases near this airport
- 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
- N6558L · no longer on the register · serial 15284435
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 29 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,328 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 6, 1989; 62 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 34, 3,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N6558L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6558L: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 152 1,636 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,683 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C 84 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Whidbey Air Park Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Virginia 1,361 since 1982 · 229 in the last ten years
- Virginia 5,975 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N6558L 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/BFO89LA032.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.