Cessna 152 accident near St. Charles, Missouri, June 25, 2010
On June 25, 2010 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5461B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near St. Charles, Missouri (St Charles Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper takeoff procedure that led to a decreased climb rate and subsequent off-airport landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2010 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- St. Charles, Missouri · St Charles Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5461B · registry record · serial 55991
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that she was conducting touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. During the last touch-and-go landing, she retracted the flaps and applied full throttle. The ground roll seemed slightly longer than previous takeoffs. After liftoff, the airplane was not climbing and the pilot thought that it was developing less than full power. As the airplane was approaching power lines, the pilot felt that the airplane would not clear them so she elected to land on a field. The airplane impacted the ground during the landing and sustained substantial damage, which included a damaged left wing, a ruptured fuel tank, and a deformed fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane cockpit flap indicator was in the 20-degree position. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were noted with the airframe, engine, or engine accessories that would have precluded normal operation. According to the aircraft’s Pilot Operating Handbook, “Normal takeoffs are accomplished with wing flaps 0°- 10°. Using 10° wing flaps reduces the total distance over an obstacle by approximately 10%. Flap deflections greater than 10° are not approved for takeoff.”
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during initial climb
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 536 hours in all; 376 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 377 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 10, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3SQ St. Charles MO at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 3SQ St. Charles MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,451 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from STL, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.