Cessna 152 accident near Grosse Ile, Michigan, July 13, 1989
On July 13, 1989 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N24378, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grosse Ile, Michigan (Grosse Ile Municipal 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 STUDENT PILOT'S NOT CORRECTING THE PORPOISE ON THE FIRST LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT IS THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE OF THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1989 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grosse Ile, Michigan · Grosse Ile Municipal · 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
- N24378 · no longer on the register · serial 15280244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 25-HOUR STUDENT PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING HIS THIRD LANDING ON HIS FIRST SOLO WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND WHEN IT RETURNED TO THE RUNWAY, LANDED HARD AND THE NOSEWHEEL 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: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,014 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1989; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,979 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from DTW, 11 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.
Other NTSB records under N24378 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.