Cessna 152 accident near Hutto, Texas, June 25, 1991
On June 25, 1991 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N93097, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hutto, Texas. 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 ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. FACTORS WERE THE INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT AND THE FOULED SPARK PLUGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1991 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hutto, Texas · map
- 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
- N93097 · registry record · serial 15285400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING, THE STUDENT PILOT SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLIED POWER AND RETRACTED THE FLAPS. AS A CLIMB ATTITUDE WAS INITIATED, THE ENGINE COUGHED AND THEN QUIT. THE INSTRUCTOR THEN EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE GEAR DUG INTO SOFT TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT IT HAD THREE FOULED SPARK PLUGS. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICING AT CRUISE AND GLIDE POWER SETTINGS. IN HIS STATEMENT, THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT MENTION WHETHER HE OR THE STUDENT HAD APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE SIMULATED FORCED LANDING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,030 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command; 650 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Center II
The flight
- Departed from: 3R3 Austin TX at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW91LA108.