Cessna 152 accident near Weaverville, California, August 8, 1982
On August 8, 1982 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48754, was destroyed in an accident near Weaverville, California (Weaverville airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 8, 1982 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Weaverville, California · Weaverville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N48754 · no longer on the register · serial 80953
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT A UNIDIRECTIONAL RUNWAY. THE AIRPORT PROCEDURE WAS TO TAKEOFF DOWNHILL ON RUNWAY 18 AND TO LAND UPHILL ON RUNWAY 36. PILOTS, WHO FLEW AT THE AIRPORT, STATED THAT GO-AROUNDS WERE NOT MADE ON RUNWAY 36 SINCE THE TERRAIN AND TREES RISE VERY SHARPLY. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DURING AN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36, THE PLANE WAS ABOUT HALF WAY UP THE RUNWAY AND WAS STILL 30 TO 40 FT IN THE AIR WHEN THE PILOT BEGAN A GO-AROUND. THEY SAW THE PLANE CONTINUE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, AT OR NEAR THE STALL SPEED, BUT GAINING NO SIGNIFICANT CLEARANCE ABOVE THE SURFACE. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A PINE TREE AND THE PLANE CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 4600 FT. THE RUNWAY WAS 3390 FT LONG AND HAD A 5 DEGREE UPSLOPE TO THE NORTH.
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: 92 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,010 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 30 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: 054 Weaverville CA at 9:50 am
- Destination: 054 Weaverville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,390 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 192°F (89°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.