Cessna 152 accident near Plymouth, Michigan, December 26, 1990
On December 26, 1990 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67401, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, Michigan (Plymouth airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (CFI)'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE DUAL STUDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1990 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Michigan · Plymouth · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N67401 · no longer on the register · serial 15281816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS OPERATING THE CONTROLS ON FINAL. THE INSTRUCTOR BECAME AWARE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY. HE TOOK CONTROL, BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE HIGH SINK RATE PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH A SNOWBANK BY THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-234-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1D2 at 9:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,550 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:45 pm from YIP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.