Cessna 152 accident near Mankato, Minnesota, December 9, 1994
On December 9, 1994 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6445P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mankato, Minnesota (Mankato Municipal 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 failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1994 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mankato, Minnesota · Mankato Municipal Airport · 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
- N6445P · registry record · serial 15285014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. HE STATED THAT AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, HE IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL POWER, RETRACTED THE FLAPS, AND PUSHED THE CARBURETOR HEAT INTO THE OFF POSITION. HE THEN GLANCED DOWN MOMENTARILY AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO CHECK THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR. AS HE LOOKED UP, HE REALIZED THE AIRPLANE HAD VEERED TO THE LEFT. WHILE APPLYING RIGHT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT.
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: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,461 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 28, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North Star Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MKT at 8:35 pm
- Destination: MKT MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from MKT
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 N6445P 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.