Cessna 152 accident near Elkhart, Indiana, February 13, 1990
On February 13, 1990 at about 4:58 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4931M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elkhart, Indiana. It was a personal 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND INADEQUATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER & SUBSEQUENT OFF-AIRPORT FORCED LANDING. THE STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED WIND ALOFT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 1990 · about 4:58 am local time
- Place
- Elkhart, Indiana · 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
- N4931M · no longer on the register · serial 15284493
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING AT NIGHT IN AN OPEN FIELD, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL. INVESTIGATORS DRAINED A TOTAL OF 1-1/2 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE WING FUEL TANKS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED UNEXPECTED, STRONG HEADWINDS DURING THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 182 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,099 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLE Cleveland OH at 1:05 am
- Destination: SBN South Bend IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:57 am from SBN, 12 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 N4931M 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.