Cessna 152 accident near O'Neill, Nebraska, October 19, 2007
On October 19, 2007 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48862, was substantially damaged in an accident near O'Neill, Nebraska. 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 failure to assure the oil filter was installed on the airplane which resulted in oil starvation. Factors associated with the accident were the mechanic not installing the oil filter, the low altitude at which the loss of engine power occurred, and the fence which the airplane contacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2007 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- O'Neill, Nebraska · 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
- N48862 · no longer on the register · serial 15281011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted a fence and nosed over following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. The airplane was taken to a mechanic to have repairs and an annual inspection. Prior to the annual inspection being done the pilot decided to pick up the airplane. The mechanic had not reinstalled the oil filter, nor did he have a chance to run-up the engine prior to the pilot picking up the airplane. The mechanic was not present when he returned to pick up the airplane. Shortly after takeoff at an altitude of about 1,000 feet, the engine began to lose power. The pilot was attempting to land in a pasture when the airplane contacted a fence and nosed over. Post accident inspection revealed the engine suffered from oil starvation and that the oil filter was not installed on the engine. A trail of oil was present from where the airplane was parked all the way to the runway. The mechanic had not signed the airplane off as being returned to service. The last annual inspection performed on the airplane was in June 2004.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 650 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONL O'Neill NE
- Destination: Royal NE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ONL
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.