Cessna 152 accident near Cresson, Texas, October 31, 2021
On October 31, 2021 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 152, registered N46370, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cresson, Texas (Bourland Fld airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 2021 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cresson, Texas · Bourland Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1978 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N46370 · no longer on the register · serial 15283040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice maneuvers in the traffic pattern. During a touch and go landing on a dry asphalt runway and as the student pilot was about to retract the flaps and apply power, the airplane started to “veer off drastically” to the left. The student pilot applied right rudder and the brakes, but the airplane departed the left side of the runway and impacted several trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident examination found no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 51 hours in all; 50.2 in this make and model; 4.7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,559.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 17, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-235-L2C (piston); 9,400 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17/3, 4,049 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:49 pm from KFWS, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFWS 312049Z 12009KT 10SM CLR 28/07 A3004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 5, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Airframe Examination Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.