Cessna A152 accident near Revere, Pennsylvania, March 28, 1993
On March 28, 1993, a Cessna A152, registered N761XA, was destroyed in an accident near Revere, Pennsylvania. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CFI FAILED TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE OPERATION. RELATED FACTORS WERE DARK NIGHT, LOST/DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT, AND HER LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF OPERATION (NIGHT FLYING).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1993
- Place
- Revere, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A152 · all A152s on the register
- Registration
- N761XA · no longer on the register · serial A1520993
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS RETURNING AT NIGHT ON THE LAST LEG OF HER LONG SOLO CROSS COUNTRY. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE PILOT DEPARTED LANCASTER AIRPORT AT 1758 EST AND HAD RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING THAT INDICATED FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR IFR CONDITIONS. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THE ORIGINAL TRIP PLANNED BY THE STUDENT WAS CANCELLED DUE TO IFR CONDITIONS ON THAT ROUTE. SHE CHANGED HER ROUTE AND AS INSTRUCTED, SHE CALLED HIM FROM LANCASTER AND REPORTED HER LOCATION. SHE ALSO ADVISED HIM THAT THE WEATHER WAS VFR FOR HER RETURN TRIP. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT HE TOLD THE STUDENT THAT IF ANY UNCERTAINTY EXISTED ONCE SHE BECAME AIRBORNE, SHE SHOULD LAND. RADAR DATA OBTAINED FROM THE FAA SHOWED THE AIRPLANE AT 900 FEET MAKING SEVERAL TURNS. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN THROUGH THE FOG AND DRIZZLE CIRCLING THE AREA. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA AND THEN BECAME INVERTED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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: 75 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,344 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 3, 1992; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Royal Karina Air Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LNS Lancaster PA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: N40 Pittstown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,500 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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 N761XA 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.