Cessna 152 accident near Baldwin City, Kansas, August 30, 2025
On August 30, 2025 at about 7:10 am local time, a 1978 Cessna 152, registered N89585, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Baldwin City, Kansas (Vinland Valley Aerodrome airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue the night landing without runway lights which resulted in the runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2025 · about 7:10 am local time
- Place
- Baldwin City, Kansas · Vinland Valley Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1978 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N89585 · registry record · serial 15282796
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he rented the accident airplane for the purpose of gaining night cross-country flight experience. He flew to two other airports and made successful landings at each airport. On the accident flight, as the airplane approached the airport, the pilot attempted to activate the pilot-controlled runway lights but was unsuccessful. He elected to continue the landing attempt to the grass runway. He stated that the landing approach was on-speed per the airplane flight manual, and he touched down on the runway but was unable to stop the airplane before it impacted trees at the end of the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing. The destination airport had a 3,303 ft. by 80 ft. turf runway equipped with non-standard low-intensity runway lighting. The airport manager reported that the functionality of the pilot-controlled runway lighting system was confirmed following the accident.
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) defining event
- Landing area overshoot during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway lighting › Decision related to condition
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 134 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 52 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 28, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,588 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vinland Flight School LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ICT Wichita KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16/3, 3,030 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 am from KLWC, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLWC 300652Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 14/13 A3006 RMK AO1 SLP173 T01440133=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 14, 2025. 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 Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation with Airport Manager | 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.
Other NTSB records under N89585 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.