Cessna 152 accident near Gill, Colorado, February 9, 1989
On February 9, 1989 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69117, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gill, Colorado. 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
IMPROPER USE OF THE POWERPLANT CONTROLS BY THE CFI DURING DESCENT THROUGH LOW TEMPERATURE AIR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 1989 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gill, Colorado · 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
- N69117 · no longer on the register · serial 15282493
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN ATP RATED CFI AND A DUAL STUDENT WERE PRACTICING SIMULATED FORCED LANDINGS OVER SNOW COVERED FIELDS. DURING A DESCENT, THE CFI SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD FULL POWER BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CFI LANDED THE ACFT IN A SNOW COVERED CORN FIELD AND THE NOSE GEAR HIT AN EMBANKMENT. THE ACFT BOUNCED INTO THE AIR FOR ANOTHER 100 FEET. ON THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR DUG IN AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN FAILED TO REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY.
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: airline transport pilot, 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: 5,181 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 178 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 5,111 as pilot in command; 3,080 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,926 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 18, 1988; 60 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: GXY Greeley CO at 7:45 pm
- Destination: GXY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.