Cessna 152 accident near Hillsdale, Michigan, October 13, 1992
On October 13, 1992 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69223, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsdale, Michigan (Hillsdale Muni 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING IN NOT REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT AND A POORLY PLANNED FORCED LANDING BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1992 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsdale, Michigan · Hillsdale Muni · 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
- N69223 · no longer on the register · serial 15282568
- 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 ON THE RETURN LEG OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. HE WAS EIGHT MILES WEST OF AN AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING ON RUNWAY 09 WHICH WAS 3801 FEET LONG. THE WIND WAS 270 AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT WAS HIGH AND FAST WHEN TRYING TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT. HE ABORTED THE ATTEMPT AND TRIED TO LAND IN A FIELD TO THE EAST OF THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS FAST AGAIN. HE PULLED UP A SECOND TIME AND MADE A TURN TO THE RIGHT AND MADE A HARD LANDING IN A FIELD. APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF FUEL WAS IN THE LEFT TANK, AND APPROXIMATELY ONE AND ONE-HALF GALLONS OF FUEL WAS IN THE RIGHT WING. THE PILOT STATED, '...I MADE THE DECISION TO NOT OBTAIN FUEL,' BEFORE HE DEPARTED ON HIS RETURN LEG OF THE 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: student
- Flight time: 42 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Branch County Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SKY Sandusky OH at 6:00 pm
- Destination: D96 Coldwater MI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 3,801 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from JXN, 20 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 N69223 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.