Cessna 152 accident near Cahokia, Illinois, April 25, 1989
On April 25, 1989 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5498B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cahokia, Illinois (St Louis Downtown-Parks 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
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE STUDENT PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE CROSSWIND AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1989 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Cahokia, Illinois · St Louis Downtown-Parks · 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
- N5498B · registry record · serial 15283887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS LANDING ON RWY 30 WITH A X-WIND FROM 190 DEG AT 9 KTS. HE REPORTED THAT DURING THE LANDING, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT & IT SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER.
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: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,728 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 11, 1989; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Downtown Air Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: VIH Vichy MO at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30R, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:44 pm from CPS
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.