Cessna 152 accident near New Braunfels, Texas, November 22, 2001
On November 22, 2001 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48941, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Braunfels, Texas (New Braunfels Municipal 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 loss of engine power due to carburetor icing conditions while in cruise flight. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the ensuing forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2001 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- New Braunfels, Texas · New Braunfels Municipal · 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
- N48941 · registry record · serial 15281062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was flying the airplane in cruise flight at 4,500 feet, when the engine began to shake and lost partial power. The pilot elected to divert to a nearby airport and troubleshot the loss of engine power by adjusting the mixture and turning on the carburetor heat. He reported that the engine regained power; however, it lost total power shortly thereafter. The pilot did not think he would be able to make it to the airport, so he elected to land in a field. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear contacted a rut in the field, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. According to the operator, they found "plenty of fuel onboard the airplane." A mechanic, who examined the engine after the accident, reported no anomalies with the engine. At the time of the accident, the temperature was reported as 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit), and the dew point as 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit). Review of carburetor icing probability charts revealed that with the aforementioned temperature and dew point, the conditions existed for "moderate icing [at] cruise power or serious icing [at] glide power."
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 103 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 8, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,963.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 2001; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: International Flight Center
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Addison TX at 7:45 pm
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SAT, 23 miles away
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.