Cessna 152 accident near Orange, Texas, April 7, 1995
On April 7, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N68190, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orange, Texas (Orange County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAYED LANDING FLARE. FACTORS WERE FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO STOP AND REFUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Orange, Texas · Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N68190 · no longer on the register · serial 15282174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PILOT ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT BECAME LOST WHILE TRYING TO NAVIGATE AROUND WEATHER. HE FLEW FOR 30-40 MINUTES, OVER FLYING AN AIRPORT, UNTIL HE CONTACTED BEAUMONT APPROACH CONTROL. APPROACH CONTROL ASSISTED THE PILOT AND VECTORED HIM TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. THE ENGINE LOST POWER ON BASE LEG AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD ON RUNWAY 04, AFTER A DOWNWIND APPROACH. DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE, AND IT CONTAINED A TOTAL OF 32 OUNCES OF FUEL.
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: 55 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 28, 1995; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T24 Pineland TX at 6:45 pm
- Destination: DRI De Ridder LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,500 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from BPT, 13 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.