Cessna 152 accident near Appleton, Wisconsin, December 26, 1998
On December 26, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6136Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Appleton, Wisconsin (Outagamie County 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control. A related factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Appleton, Wisconsin · Outagamie County 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
- N6136Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the pilot's last landing, he entered a right hand traffic pattern for runway 29. He stated that he had touched down slightly to the right of the runway's centerline. After he touched down, he attempted to go towards the left to get lined up onto the centerline. He added that as he crossed the centerline, he applied right rudder, but the airplane did not respond and continued to travel to the left. He stated that he applied both brakes, the right more so, but he was unable to control the airplane. He further stated that the airplane continued to the left, off the runway, at which point the nose landing gear collapsed. A wind of 240 degrees at 14 knots was recorded at the time of the accident. Inspection of the aircraft revealed no mechanical anomalies.
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: 73 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,306 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 1998; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATW at 6:26 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 6,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from ATW
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 N6136Q 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.