Cessna 152 accident near Lakeville, Minnesota, May 28, 1988
On May 28, 1988 at about 7:48 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4812B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeville, Minnesota. 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
- May 28, 1988 · about 7:48 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeville, Minnesota · 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
- N4812B · no longer on the register · serial 15283650
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS MAKING THE FOURTH LEG OF A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TOTALLING 314 NAUTICAL MILES. ALTHOUGH HE DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL, NONE WAS ADDED DURING THE TRIP. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A POWER FAILURE, DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES SHORT OF THE FINAL DESTINATION. DURING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A NOSE OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED INCONSISTENT SUPERVISION AND TRAINING BY THE PILOT'S CFI.
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: 55 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,734 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 3, 1987; 67 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: ILL Willmar MN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: Y12 Lakeville MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from MSP, 15 miles away
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.