Cessna 152 accident near Mankato, Minnesota, February 28, 2001
On February 28, 2001 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5236H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mankato, Minnesota (Mankato Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing. Factors relating to the accident were the student pilot's lack of total experience, the icy runway, the strong crosswind, the wind gusts, and the snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2001 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mankato, Minnesota · Mankato Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5236H · registry record · serial 15284070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot said that he was attempting to land on runway 15. On initial touchdown the airplane bounced and ballooned slightly. The student pilot said the crosswind blew the airplane to the left and the icy runway made it hard to correct. The airplane went off the runway and struck a snowbank. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. The wind conditions reported at the time of the accident were 230 degrees at 20 knots and gusts to 27 knots.
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: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,704 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 25, 2001; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RWF Redwood Falls MN at 5:45 pm
- Destination: MKT Mankato MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 20 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 6:20 pm from MKT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.