Cessna 152 accident near Bridgeport, Texas, May 23, 1996
On May 23, 1996 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N52MA, was destroyed in an accident near Bridgeport, Texas (Bridgeport Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper preflight by failing to ensure the mixture control was properly set before takeoff, and his failure to abort the takeoff (while there was sufficient runway remaining).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1996 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, Texas · Bridgeport Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N52MA · registry record · serial 152-83231
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing, the student pilot leaned the fuel/air mixture. He did not recall enrichening the mixture prior to takeoff. The pilot said that during the takeoff roll, he heard a noise that could have been from a lean mixture setting. When the cockpit control panel was examined, the mixture control was found in a leaned position. Witnesses stated that the airplane's engine did not sound like it was at full throttle. They also stated that the airplane 'wallowed' at about 10 feet AGL all the way down the 4,009 foot runway. The airplane impacted the trees at the end of the runway.
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: 22 hours in all; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,195 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1996; 31 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: 1F9 at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,009 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N52MA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.