Cessna 152 accident near Harlan, Iowa, May 23, 1994
On May 23, 1994 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N80812, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harlan, Iowa (Harlan Municipal 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 delayed remedial action by the flight instructor. A factor related to the accident was the wet runway surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1994 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Harlan, Iowa · Harlan Municipal · 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
- N80812 · registry record · serial 152-85368
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ABORTED THE SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF ON THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BECOME AIRBORNE AT A PREDETERMINED POINT ON THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR, THE AIRPLANE SLID SLIGHTLY ON THE WET, GRASS RUNWAY AFTER THE POWER WAS REDUCED TO IDLE AND THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED HEAVILY. IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT THE PROPELLER FROM STRIKING A FENCE LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE INSTRUCTOR STEERED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A FENCE POST, BENDING THE TAIL TO THE LEFT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ABNORMALITIES WERE REPORTED.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,230 hours in all; 379 in this make and model; 255 in the last 90 days; 68 in the last 30 days; 1,118 as pilot in command; 443 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,056 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1994; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Harbor Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OMA Omaha NE at 1:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 1,760 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.