Cessna 152 II accident near Aurora, Illinois, December 14, 1985
On December 14, 1985 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152 II, registered N4655P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Illinois (Aurora airport). 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 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
- December 14, 1985 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Illinois · Aurora
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 II · all 152 IIs on the register
- Registration
- N4655P · registry record · serial 15284794
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMBOUT THE STUDENT PLT SAW HIS IAS DROP 10 KTS. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND LAND HARD ON THE NOSE GEAR. GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 70 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,657 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1985; 97 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: ARR Aurora IL at 7:44 pm
- Destination: AQI Sterling IL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from ARR
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.