Cessna 152 accident near Copeville, Texas, October 11, 1983
On October 11, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48774, was substantially damaged in an accident near Copeville, Texas (Farm Pasture airport). It was a personal 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 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
- October 11, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Copeville, Texas · Farm Pasture
- 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
- N48774 · no longer on the register · serial 15280962
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD LANDED IN A PASTURE AREA THAT WAS ABOUT 1500 FT LONG. WHILE ON THE GROUND, A WX FRONT BEGAN MOVING IN & THE PLT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF TO MOVE THE ACFT TO A SAFER LOCATION. HE INITATED HIS TAKEOFF TO THE SOUTH; HOWEVER, THE GROUND WAS SOFT DUE TO RECENT RAINS. THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, BUT WOULD NOT CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY TO CLEAR 25 FT TREES AT THE END OF THE FIELD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TREES AT ABOUT 10 TO 15 FT AGL & CAME TO REST IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE, SUSPENDED APRX 5 FT AGL IN THE TREES. THE PLT BELIEVED THAT HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN SOFT FIELD OPERATIONS CONTRIBUTED TO AN IMPROPER DECISION.
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: 147 hours in all; 128 in this make and model; 147 in the last 90 days; 109 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 29, 1983; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Copeville TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: ADS Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.