Cessna 152 accident near Longmont, Colorado, June 1, 1990
On June 1, 1990, a Cessna 152, registered N89834, was destroyed in an accident near Longmont, Colorado (Vance Brand airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT CONTINUED INTO HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1990
- Place
- Longmont, Colorado · Vance Brand · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N89834 · no longer on the register · serial 15282886
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE COMPLETION OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT DURING FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR/MICROBURST ACTIVITY AND A GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED. AT THE INTITIATION OF THE GO-AROUND THE FLAPS WERE RAISED FROM FULL DEPLOYMENT TO UP, CONTRARY TO PUBLISHED PROCEDURES. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND STRUCK A TREE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES IN THE ACCIDENT AND THE STUDENT PILOT FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS AWARE OF ADVISORY CIRCULARS CONCERNING WINDSHEAR BUT DID NOT HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT A PIREP WAS MADE WARNING OF HIGH WIND, WINDSHEAR, AND STRONG DOWN DRAFTS. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH, A MICROBURST GUST FRONT PASSED THROUGH THE AIRPORT BETWEEN 1844 AND 1846.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 584 hours in all; 485 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 97 in the last 30 days; 537 as pilot in command; 256 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,680 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 27, 1990; 91 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: 2V2
- Destination: 2V2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N89834 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.