Cessna 152 accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, January 21, 1991
On January 21, 1991 at about 5:08 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6374M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma (Richard Lloyd Jones, JR. airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. A FACTOR WAS: THE STUDENT'S FAILURE TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1991 · about 5:08 pm local time
- Place
- Tulsa, Oklahoma · Richard Lloyd Jones, JR. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6374M · no longer on the register · serial 15284697
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR WAS TALKING THE STUDENT THROUGH THE LANDING. HE TOLD HER TO FLARE THE AIRPLANE AND ASSISTED BY APPLYING ELEVATOR BACK PRESSURE. HE SAID THE STUDENT, INSTEAD, APPLIED FORWARD PRESSURE. THE INSTRUCTOR APPLIED FULL BACK PRESSURE BUT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE RUNWAY NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE STUDENT SAID THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO YAW AND SHE CONCENTRATED ON ALIGNING THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY. SHE HEARD THE INSTRUCTOR CALL FOR MORE POWER AND FELT A FORCEFUL NOSE DOWN PRESSURE. SHE SAID SHE DID NOT THINK SHE APPLIED ANY ELEVATOR BACK PRESSURE. ANOTHER FLIGHT INSTRUCOTR, WHO WAS AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, WATCHED THE AIRPLANE APPROACH IN AN UNUSUALLY NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, AND SAID THERE WAS NO APPARENT ATTEMPT TO FLARE THE AIRPLANE.
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: 2,822 hours in all; 1,900 in this make and model; 261 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 2,262 as pilot in command; 2,145 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (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-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,799 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N6374M 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.