Cessna 152 accident near Heber City, Utah, May 20, 1988
On May 20, 1988, a Cessna 152, registered N25934, was destroyed in an accident near Heber City, Utah. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- May 20, 1988
- Place
- Heber City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N25934 · no longer on the register · serial 15280866
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI AND STUDENT PLT WERE ON A ROUND-ROBIN CROSS-COUNTRY FLT. A WITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE SAID HE SAW AN AIRPLANE FLYING 'UP A CANYON QUITE SLOW AND LOW'. THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED OVERDUE AND FOUND THE NEXT DAY IN A 'BOX CANYON' AT THE 8,500 FOOT LEVEL. THE PORTION OF THE CANYON WHERE THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IS APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE WIDE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND STEEP TERRAIN IN A NEAR VERTICAL, NOSE LOW, RT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE, ENGINE OR PROPELLER WAS FOUND. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 10,278 FEET. THE TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE RISES TO OVER 11,000 FEET.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,454 hours in all; 152 in the last 90 days; 1,295 as pilot in command; 364 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,423 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1988; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 364 Heber City UT at 11:38 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.