Cessna 152 accident near Austin, Nevada, April 25, 2000
On April 25, 2000 at about 1:34 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67435, was destroyed in an accident near Austin, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to attempt flight in an area of high rising mountainous terrain at an inadequate altitude, which resulted in an impact during a turn to reverse direction. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of total experience in mountain flying operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2000 · about 1:34 am local time
- Place
- Austin, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N67435 · no longer on the register · serial 15281833
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to data retrieved from a handheld GPS unit, the pilot's headed up a valley while cruising at a low altitude over upsloping mountainous terrain along their flight route. The airplane was unable to out climb the rising terrain and impacted the 20-degree upsloping mountainside nearly perpendicular to its face at an elevation of 8,100-foot mean sea level while maneuvering the airplane during an attempted reverse course maneuver. In January 2000, both pilots began primary flight training at the same Texas-based flight school. In March, they were issued Private Pilot certificates, and had each received about 6 hours of dual cross-country flight training. Neither pilot had been trained in high-density altitude operations or mountain flying. The airplane had the published performance capability to overfly the mountainous terrain. However, under high density altitude standard atmospheric conditions, its maximum rate of climb was reduced to about 380 feet per minute at 62 knots indicated airspeed (70 knots true airspeed), or about 326 feet per nautical mile (nm). As evidence by the airplane's ground track, the terrain over which the airplane flew within 3 nm of the accident site increased in elevation from 7,100 to 8,100 feet msl, or about 333 feet per nm. The airplane's climb rate ability was less than the terrain's slope. No evidence of any airframe or engine mechanical malfunction was noted during the on-scene wreckage examination.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,546 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 12, 2000; 43 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: WMC Winnemucca NV at 11:55 pm
- Destination: Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:40 am from KU3, 29 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.