Cessna 152 accident near Ravenna, Ohio, October 1, 1985
On October 1, 1985 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5331P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ravenna, Ohio (Portage County 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 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
- October 1, 1985 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ravenna, Ohio · Portage County · 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
- N5331P · no longer on the register · serial 15284917
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE INITIAL SOLO STUFENT PILOT, HE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY, APPLIED TAKEOFF POWER AND REACHED DOWN TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. AS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE IT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. THE STUDENT PILOT APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VEER LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT CUT THE POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING A DITCH. THE AIRCRAFT TIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 11 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,943 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 23, 1985; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kent State University
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N5331P 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.