Cessna 152 accident near Dover Afb, Delaware, June 4, 1989
On June 4, 1989 at about 3:08 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69271, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dover Afb, Delaware (Dover Afb 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 IMPROPER FLARE, IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND, WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED PORPOISE, LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND AN UNCONTROLLED GROUND SWERVE. HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE, A CROSSWIND, AND THE DITCH WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1989 · about 3:08 pm local time
- Place
- Dover Afb, Delaware · Dover Afb · 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
- N69271 · no longer on the register · serial 15282594
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS LANDING ON RWY 19 WITH A RPRTD WIND FROM 290 DEG AT 13 KTS. HE RPRTD THAT THE APCH WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE ACFT WAS AT ABOUT 15 FT AGL, THEN IT ABRUPTLY DESCENDED & CONTACTED THE RWY. IT BOUNCED 2 OR 3 TIMES & THE STUDENT ELECTED TO GO AROUND. POWER WAS APPLIED; HOWEVER, THE ACFT SETTLED ONTO THE RWY & TRAVELED OFF THE LEFT SIDE INTO A GRASS AREA. BEFORE THE STUDENT COULD STOP THE ACFT, IT CONTACTED A DITCH & NOSED OVER.
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: 11 hours in all; 11 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,510 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1989; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DOV at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 9,600 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:05 pm from DOV
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.