Cessna 152 accident near Lansing, Michigan, February 13, 1988
On February 13, 1988 at about 3:19 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49540, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Michigan (Capital airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 13, 1988 · about 3:19 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Michigan · Capital · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N49540 · no longer on the register · serial 15283472
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A NOSE OVER WHEN IT CONTACTED A SNOWBANK. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT SHE ALLOWED THE STUDENT PILOT TO TAXI TOO FAST AND WAS UNABLE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT SOON ENOUGH TO AVOID HITTING THE SNOWBANK.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 397 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 218 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1987; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Carlson Aviation Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LAN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Observation at 3:25 pm from LAN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.