Cessna 152 accident near Eureka, California, April 19, 2000
On April 19, 2000 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6251Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eureka, California (Murry Field). It was a personal 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
The pilot's failure to compensate for a crosswind and to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2000 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Eureka, California · Murry Field · 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
- N6251Q · registry record · serial 15285211
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he lost directional control of the airplane during a crosswind landing. The airplane departed the left side of the runway into a muddy area, nosed down, and then returned to the main landing gear.
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: 16 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,089 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 10, 2000; 83 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: EKA at 7:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from ACV, 11 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.