Cessna 152 II accident near Katy, Texas, May 7, 1990
On May 7, 1990 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152 II, registered N94098, was substantially damaged in an accident near Katy, Texas (Harbican airport). It was an instructional 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 CFI'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT AND THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1990 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Katy, Texas · Harbican · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 II · all 152 IIs on the register
- Registration
- N94098 · no longer on the register · serial 15285596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR WERE PRACTICING SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING OVER AN UNCONTROLLED TURF AIRPORT. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, A RECOVERY WAS INITIATED AT 500 AGL. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND EXECUTED A POWER ON PRECAUTIONARY LANDING EVEN THOUGH LEVEL FLIGHT COULD BE MAINTAINED. DURING THE LANDING ROLL ONTO THE WET, SOFT TURF RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT MAIN GEAR DUG INTO THE GROUND. THE RIGHT WING THEN STRUCK THE GROUND. SOMETIME DURING THE LAST SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING EXERCISE, THE STUDENT PILOT MAY HAVE TURNED THE MAGNETO SWITCH OFF OF THE BOTH POSITION, ONTO EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT POSITION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 570 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 350 as pilot in command; 10 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,367 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWS Houston TX at 1:54 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from DWH, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.