Cessna 152 accident near Arlington, Texas, October 4, 2014
On October 4, 2014 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 152, registered N124RP, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Arlington, Texas (Fort Worth Spinks 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 inadequate flight preparation and navigation during a training flight resulting in collision with low wires.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 2014 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Texas · Fort Worth Spinks Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 NO SERIES, built 1978 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N124RP · registry record · serial 15282139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing an engine out emergency maneuver with a student when the airplane collided with low wires. The wires came into contact with the airplane's windscreen, resulting in a large portion of the screen fractured. After the accident, the pilot stated that the power lines were barely visible even from the ground, and was surprised they had not been struck before by a crop duster or during another training flight. He said that balls or markers would have helped make the line more visible. He also offered that he could have scouted the area more thoroughly prior to the flight.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,056 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 6,836 as pilot in command; 1,678 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,468 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,676 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-235 SERIES (piston); 6,109 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2TS6 Midlothian TX at 9:05 pm
- Destination: 2TS6 Midlothian TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN15CA005.