Cessna 152 accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana, September 22, 1990
On September 22, 1990 at about 3:33 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N24296, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana (Baer Field). 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED FOR FLIGHT. THE PILOTS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE CROSSWINDS THAT WERE PRESENT DURING THE APPROACH AND THE ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1990 · about 3:33 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Wayne, Indiana · Baer Field · 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
- N24296 · registry record · serial 15280201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT RELATES IN HIS STATEMENT THAT HE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HIS APPROACH. HE DESCRIBES PROBLEMS WITH MAINTAINING RUNWAY ALIGNMENT BECAUSE OF CROSSWINDS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE 'TRIED TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND AND PUSHED IN THE THROTTLE. I DID NOT LOWER THE NOSE PROPERLY AND THE PLANE EVENTUALLY STALLED, DROPPING TO THE RUNWAY'.
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: 44 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5G7 Bluffton OH at 2:42 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Observation at 3:50 pm from FWA
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.