Cessna 152 accident near Rochester, Indiana, January 8, 1990
On January 8, 1990 at about 4:16 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6141Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rochester, Indiana (Rochester 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 AND/OR PROPERLY COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS AND THE DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 1990 · about 4:16 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, Indiana · Rochester · 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
- N6141Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285164
- 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 PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. HE WAS ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A CROSSWIND & LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, CROSSED A TAXIWAY, RAN INTO A DITCH & 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
- Flight time: 16 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,399 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 1989; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skyways, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from GUS, 24 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 N6141Q 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.