Cessna 152 accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana, February 24, 2009
On February 24, 2009 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N94626, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne International 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper flare and recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2009 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Wayne, Indiana · Fort Wayne International · 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
- N94626 · registry record · serial 15285747
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that the accident occurred during the flight's first touch-and-go landing. The pilot stated that the landing approach was normal, but on touchdown the airplane bounced and then touched down again on the left side of the runway. The airplane traveled off the left side of the runway, struck a snowbank, and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot said, "I should have either maintained directional control or done a go-around."
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Student pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,448 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 17, 2008; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fort Wayne Flight Academy INC
The flight
- Departed from: FWA Fort Wayne IN at 6:30 pm
- Destination: FWA Fort Wayne IN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 14, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from FWA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09CA200.