Cessna 152 accident near Eau Claire, Wisconsin, November 26, 1989
On November 26, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5115Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eau Claire, Wisconsin (Eau Claire County 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
FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND, THE STUDENT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE, HIS DIVERSION OF TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE OTHER AIRCRAFT, AND THE RUNWAY LIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin · Eau Claire County
- 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
- N5115Q · registry record · serial 15285077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,560 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 2, 1989; 10 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: EAU at 10:00 pm
- Destination: EAU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 7,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from EAU
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.