Cessna 152 accident near San Angelo, Texas, October 6, 1993
On October 6, 1993 at about 7:44 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N68108, was destroyed in an accident near San Angelo, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WAS MALFUNCTION OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL PUSH/PULL ROD AND CABLE. A FACTOR WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1993 · about 7:44 pm local time
- Place
- San Angelo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N68108 · no longer on the register · serial 15282135
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PILOT WAS TURNING ONTO BASE LEG THE TOWER CONTROLLER REQUESTED HE MAKE A 270 DEGREE TURN TO ACCOMMODATE LANDING TRAFFIC. WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER THE THROTTLE WOULD NOT MOVE. SINCE THE AIRPLANE WAS BEYOND GLIDING DISTANCE TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. DURING THE LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES. AN INSPECTION OF THE THROTTLE MECHANISM REVEALED THAT THE CONTROL SHAFT AND CABLE WERE BENT NEAR WHERE THEY ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER. IT WAS ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE SPRING CASING WAS STRETCHED 1.5 INCHES AT THE THROTTLE SHAFT HOUSING AND THAT CABLE MOVEMENT WAS STIFF.
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: 17 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,189 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1993; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Air Center
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from SJT, 2 miles away
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.