Cessna 152 accident near Bullard, Texas, April 23, 1996
On April 23, 1996 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N46748, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bullard, Texas (Tarrant Field). 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
failure of an engine exhaust valve, which resulted in a loss of engine power, a forced landing, and subsequent damage to the airplane. Factors relating to the accident were: the tailwind, and the wet grass runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1996 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bullard, Texas · Tarrant Field · 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
- N46748 · registry record · serial 15283098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a dual instructional flight, the engine lost power, while the airplane was at 600 feet AGL, on a downwind leg for landing on runway 30. The flight instructor elected to land downwind on runway 12, which was a 2,700 foot grass runway. The airplane touched down past the midfield point. Braking on the wet grass was minimal, and the airplane overran the end of the runway, went through two fences and nosed over, coming to rest in the inverted position. Examination of the engine revealed that an exhaust valve had failed.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,130 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 177 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 955 as pilot in command; 857 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,294 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TYR Tyler TX at 2:45 pm
- Destination: 6XS5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,700 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from TYR, 17 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.