Cessna 152 accident near Frankton, Indiana, February 26, 1985
On February 26, 1985 at about 9:49 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5394M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frankton, Indiana. 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 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
- February 26, 1985 · about 9:49 pm local time
- Place
- Frankton, Indiana · 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
- N5394M · no longer on the register · serial 152-84578
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SETUP FOR A PRACTICE STALL THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE, RAISED THE NOSE SLIGHTLY AND APPLIED CARB HEAT. HE BELIEVED HE WAS LOSING AIRSPEED TOO QUICKLY SO HE THEN REAPPLIED FULL POWER. AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE RPMS DROPPED TO 5 OR 500. WHILE SETTING UP FOR A FORCED LANDING THE PILOT PUMPED THE THROTTLE,. CHANGED THE MIXTURE, CHECKED THE FUEL SELECTOR, AND REMOVED THE CARB HEAT BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RECOVER. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY, ALONG WITH THE MAGNETOS AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT.
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: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,852 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 10, 1984; 26 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: AID Anderson IN at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N5394M 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.