Cessna 152 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, October 24, 1989
On October 24, 1989 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N95975, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Mark Andrews 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. THE WIND CONDITION WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1989 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Mark Andrews · 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
- N95975 · no longer on the register · serial 15285994
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RTRNG FROM A SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT, THE STUDENT PLT MADE AN APCH TO LAND ON RWY 17L. THE WIND WAS VARIABLE FROM 120 TO 180 DEG AT 19 KTS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE TURNED TO FINAL APCH & REALIZED HE WAS HIGH WITH THE WIND STRONGER THAN HE LIKED. HE EXTENDED FULL FLAPS & 'EASED BACK' POWER. THE APCH WAS STEEP & THE ACFT LANDED SOONER THAN THE PLT HAD EXPECTED. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN AT AN ANGLE, BOUNCED TWICE, THEN STOPPED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 81 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: University Of North Dakota
The flight
- Departed from: GPZ Grand Rapids MN at 6:20 pm
- Destination: GFK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17L, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 19 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from GFK
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.
Other NTSB records under N95975 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.