Cessna 152 accident near Mcallen, Texas, March 16, 1983
On March 16, 1983 at about 8:47 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6146Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcallen, Texas (Miller Int'L. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1983 · about 8:47 pm local time
- Place
- Mcallen, Texas · Miller Int'L. · 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
- N6146Q · registry record · serial 15285169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT LANDED AT AN EN ROUTE AIRPORT AFTER COMPLETING THE SECOND LEG OF A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLT. HE STATED THAT AFTER LANDING, HE TAXIED TO A HANGER IN ORDER TO REST BEFORE DEPARTURE. WHILE PREPARING TO DEPART, HE TAXIED & STOPPED SHORT OF RUNWAY 31 ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING WHERE HE WAITED FOR A TAKEOFF CLEARANCE. AFTER STOPPING, A TAIL WIND LIFTED THE ACFT UP ONTO ITS NOSE & RIGHT WING TIP, THEN BLEW IT OVER ON ITS BACK. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 280 DEG AT 28 GUSTING 38 KTS. THE 1455 CST WIND AT THE AIRPORT WAS REPORTED FROM 300 DEG AT 23 GUSTING 42 KTS. PERSONNEL, WHERE THE ACFT WAS OPERATED FROM, REPORTED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE APRX 7 KTS AT THE INITIAL DEPARTURE TIME & WERE FORECAST TO REMAIN THE SAME. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT MAX WINDS FOR SOLOING WAS 18 KTS, BUT THE STUDENT ELECTED TO RETURN REGARDLESS OF THE WINDS. THE STUDENT STATED THAT HE WAS NOT BRIEFED ON SPECIFIC WIND LIMITS. HE HAD RECEIVED 40 FLT HRS OVER 17 MOS, WITH APRX 10 HRS AT THIS FBO.
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: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 618 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 9, 1982; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BRO Brownsville TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 7,103 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 28 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.