Cessna 152 accident near Santa Rosa, California, August 15, 1982
On August 15, 1982 at about 5:31 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25484, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Rosa, California (Sanoma County airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1982 · about 5:31 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · Sanoma County · 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
- N25484 · no longer on the register · serial 15280887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT. HE HAD COMPLETED HIS FIRST LANDING AND WAS FOLLOWING THROUGH ON A TOUCH AND GO WHEN HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT, RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, HIT A DITCH AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. REPORTEDLY, THE STUDENT HAD LOST CONTROL DURING THE TOUCH AND GO BEFORE HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF. AFTER THIS MISHAP, THE OPERATOR RECOMMENDED THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS HAVE STUDENTS MAKE FULL STOP LANDING ON INITIAL SOLO FLIGHTS, SO THEY WOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO RECONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT FOR TAKEOFFS.
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: 15 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,232 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Redwood Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: STS Santa Rosa CA at 9:30 am
- Destination: STS Santa Rosa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,115 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:39 am from STS
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.