Cessna 152 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, July 29, 2000
On July 29, 2000, a Cessna 152, registered N93289, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis Metropolitan 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 non-pilot rated passenger's improper flare and not relinquishing the controls, and the pilot's inadequate remedial action and the pilot's poor decision to practice instruction with an unqualified pilot prior to becoming a Certified Flight Instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2000
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Indianapolis Metropolitan · 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
- N93289 · no longer on the register · serial 15285459
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported he was working on his Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) rating and had taken a non-pilot rated passenger flying to practice flight instruction. The pilot reported he never took his hands off the controls. The pilot reported, "On short final I explained that we needed to 'flare, or pull back on the controls.' [The passenger] began pushing instead. I pulled back and again said, 'No, pull back.' [The passenger] pushed harder so I grabbed the yolk with both hands and yelled, 'Pull back' while trying to regain control. He panicked and shoved the yolk all the way forward, locking his elbows. We hit the runway nose first just right of centerline, crumpling the nose gear and skidded about 200 yards, damaging the prop and underbody."
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 124 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,185 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 2000; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UMP at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,860 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 153°F (67°C), dew point 145°F (63°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from IND, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.