Cessna 152 accident near Grafton, West Virginia, March 1, 1990
On March 1, 1990 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N65538, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grafton, West Virginia. 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 USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT, WHEN OPERATING AT REDUCED POWER IN CONDITIONS WHICH WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1990 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grafton, West Virginia · 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
- N65538 · no longer on the register · serial 15281603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING AIRWORK DURING A SOLO TRAINING FLT, WHEN A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. HE APPLIED CARB HEAT AND POWER WAS TEMPORARILY RESTORED BEFORE IT DECREASED AGAIN. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN POWER, THE PLT SELECTED A FIELD FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE FIELD HAD A STEEP SLOPE. DURING THE LANDING, THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTED THE TERRAIN FIRST AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. DURING TESTS, THE CARB HEAT OPERATED NORMALLY. TEMP AND DEW POINT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 31 DEGS F AND 22 DEGS F, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO CARB ICE PROBABILITY CHARTS, THIS CONDITION WAS CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICE DURING GLIDE POWER SETTINGS.
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: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,907 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 14, 1989; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CKB Clarksburg WV at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from CKB, 15 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.