Cessna 152 accident near Long Beach, California, April 18, 1982
On April 18, 1982 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5513L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach 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
- April 18, 1982 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach
- 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
- N5513L · registry record · serial 15284325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE PLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT PILOT AND A WITNESS STATED THAT THE GEAR COLLASPED AFTER A NORMAL LANDING. THE NOSEWHEEL TIRE HAD UNEVEN WEAR CHARACERICS. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE MOUNT, FIRE WALL, AND AJACENT STRUCTURE BEHIND THE FIRE WALL, AND THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING RODS WERE BROKEN.
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: 13 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 803 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,507 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Long Beach CA at 9:00 am
- Destination: Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 154°F (68°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.