Cessna 152 accident near Dubuque, Iowa, March 25, 1994
On March 25, 1994 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N89761, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque Regional 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
the student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. The student pilot's lack of total flight experience was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1994 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dubuque, Iowa · Dubuque Regional · 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
- N89761 · no longer on the register · serial 15282856
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT STATED HE WAS HIGH AND FAST ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. HE REPORTED WHEN HE FLARED HE FELT THE AIRPLANE CLIMB, SO HE PUSHED THE YOKE FORWARD. HE STATED THE AIRPLANE HIT THE RUNWAY HARD SO HE PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE. WHEN THE STUDENT PILOT PUSHED THE YOKE FORWARD AGAIN, THE NOSE GEAR IMPACTED THE RUNWAY AND COLLAPSED. THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED 21.3 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME, INCLUDING 1.5 HOURS AS PILOT IN COMMAND.
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: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,515 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 15, 1993; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,498 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:17 pm from DBQ
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.