Cessna 152 accident near Ogden, Utah, April 24, 1989
On April 24, 1989 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49177, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ogden, Utah (Ogden 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 IMPROPER FLARE WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING & SEPARATION OF THE NOSE LANDING WHEEL. CONTRIBUTING TO 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
- April 24, 1989 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ogden, Utah · Ogden · 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
- N49177 · no longer on the register · serial 15283434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS PERFORMING HER FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO FLT. THE PLT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON RWY 16, A 5,349 X 200 FT ASPHALT RWY, WITH CALM WINDS. THE CFI WITNESS REPORTED THAT DURING TOUCHDOWN ON THE PLT'S SECOND APPROACH, THE ACFT MADE A HARD LANDING AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. THE PLT MADE A GO AROUND, AND AT LIFT OFF, THE NOSE WHEEL DEPARTED THE ACFT. THE STUDENT FLEW AROUND THE AIRPORT FOR 20 MINS PRIOR TO LANDING ON RWY 21, AN 8,250 X 150 FOOT ASPHALT RUNWAY. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR FORK SCRAPED ALONG THE RUNWAY FOR 200 FT AND THE PLANE MADE A SLOW LEFT TURN. AS THE NOSE GEAR LEFT THE RWY, THE ACFT NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.
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: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,016 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 2, 1989; 38 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: OGD at 3:05 pm
- Destination: OGD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,349 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.