Cessna 152 accident near Arlington, Texas, April 10, 1985
On April 10, 1985 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49831, was destroyed in an accident near Arlington, Texas (Unknown airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- April 10, 1985 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Texas · Unknown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N49831 · no longer on the register · serial 15281347
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT ON TRAFFIC PATROL WATCH WAS OBSERVED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE CRASH AT LOW ALTITUDE DOING SLOW FLT AND FLYING ERRATIC PRIOR TO ACFT STALLING ANS SPINNING INTO APT BUILDING NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 646 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 516 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,929 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 1985; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Dynamics
The flight
- Departed from: DAL Dallas TX at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from FTW, 15 miles away
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.