Cessna 152 II accident near Decatur, Michigan, November 6, 1983
On November 6, 1983 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152 II, registered N5528L, was destroyed in an accident near Decatur, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 1983 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 II · all 152 IIs on the register
- Registration
- N5528L · no longer on the register · serial 152-84339
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES AND THE GROUND DURING A NIGHT X-COUNTRY IN DETEROTIATED WEATHER ABOUT 3/4 OF A MI SSW OF KEELER,MI, VOR. WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT CIRCLING AT LOW ALT BUT DID SEE THE ACFT DUE TO CLOUDS, DRIZZLE AND FOG. THE SOUND OF THE ENG WAS CONTINUOUS UNTIL CRACKING TREES AND AN EXPLOSION WERE HEARD. THE PLTS LOG SHOWED HE HAD NO NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE OR INST FLIGHT TIME AND ONLY 4.3 HOURS OF INST HOOD TIME LOGED IN NOV, 1980. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING BUT HAD NOT FILED A FLT PLAN OR MADE ANY RADIO CALLS WHILE ENROUTE.
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: 239 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 204 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 156 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 7, 1983; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 41C Wayland MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
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.