Cessna 152 accident near El Paso, Texas, February 24, 1986
On February 24, 1986 at about 6:55 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67888, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas (El Paso International airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 24, 1986 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N67888 · registry record · serial 15282077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY AND NOSED OVER IN THE ROUGH SAND. THE PLT SAID THAT SHE LOOKED INTO THE COCKPIT TO LOCATE THE FLAP SWITCH TO RAISE THE FLAPS FOR A RUNNING TAKEOFF. POWER HAD ALREADY BEEN ADDED AND THE ACFT STARTED TO THE LEFT BY THE TIME THE PLT LOOKED UP AGAIN. CORRECTIVE ACTION ATTEMPTED WAS NOT EFFECTIVE AND THE USE OF POWER TO GO OVER A DITCH AND UP A SANDY MOUND ENDED IN A NOSE OVER AT THE BASE OF THE ELEVATION.
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
- Flight time: 28 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,269 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 17, 1985; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 6:55 pm
- Destination: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8L, 5,493 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from ELP
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.