Cessna 152 accident near Memphis, Tennessee, May 15, 2009
On May 15, 2009 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6529M, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Memphis, Tennessee (General Dewitt Spain Airport). 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
The pilots' decision to fly at a low altitude and their inadequate visual lookout while maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2009 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · General Dewitt Spain Airport · 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
- N6529M · no longer on the register · serial 15284763
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certificated private pilot, he rented the airplane in order to refamiliarize himself with flying from the right seat. He invited a certificated flight instructor (CFI), who was also an acquaintance of his, to accompany him on the personal flight. After practicing some emergency landings at the departure airport, the pilots proceeded to a rural area for additional emergency landing practice. The CFI then demonstrated an engine-out approach to an open field, and shortly thereafter she applied power to begin a climb-out; both pilots then heard and felt something strike the airplane. They determined that the airplane was still flyable, and returned to the departure airport where the airplane was landed uneventfully. The CFI stated that during the subject approach, the airplane did not descend any lower than 50 feet above the ground, while the other pilot stated that the airplane did not descend any lower than 100 feet. Neither pilot saw anything that could account for the impact. Inspection of the airplane indicated that the vertical stabilizer incurred substantial damage, most likely due to a wire strike. Efforts to locate the wire were unsuccessful.
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
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Flight crew
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,270 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 2, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,664 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M01 Memphis TN at 9:30 pm
- Destination: M01 Memphis TN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from M01, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.