Cessna 152 accident near Watkins, Colorado, July 25, 1987
On July 25, 1987 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N52MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Front Range airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1987 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Front Range · 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
- N52MA · registry record · serial 15283231
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS ON RWY 26. HE ESTIMATED THE WIND TO BE 180 DEG AT 8 KTS. THE PLT SAID THAT ON THE THIRD LANDING ATTEMPT, A 15 KT GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE ACFT TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH LEFT AILERON AND RIGHT RUDDER. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY, DRAGGING THE RIGHT WING TIP AND NOSING OVER. THE PLT NOTED THAT THE CROSSWIND GUST EXCEEDED ACFT CROSSWIND CAPABILITY. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT HANDBOOK, THE MAXIMUM DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND VELOCITY IS 12 KTS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 171 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 116 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,270 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N52MA 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.