Cessna 152 accident near Carson City, Nevada, July 7, 1983
On July 7, 1983 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5262M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carson City, Nevada (Carson City 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
- July 7, 1983 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · Carson City · 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
- N5262M · no longer on the register · serial 15284509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT SAID CROSSWIND GUSTS BLEW THE ACFT TO THE RIGHT OF THE RWY JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. ELECTING A GO-AROUND, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS INTO INITIAL CLIMB WHEN THE ACFT LOST AIRSPEED, BOUNDED OFF THE GROUND INTO A STALL, LANDED ON THE NOSE GEAR AND NOSED OVER. ON RENOS 1054 SURFACE OBSERVATION THE WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 210 DEGREES AT 21 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 29 KTS. CESSNA LISTS THE FACTORY DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND COMPONENT OF THE CESSNA 150/152 SERIES DURING LANDING AS 13 KTS. THE STUDENT WAS ENDORSED FOR SOLO BUT THE EXACT NATURE OF THE SOLO PRIVILEGES WERE NOT ASCERTAINED BECAUSE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT HIS FLT INSTRUCTOR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 29 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 356 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 7, 1983; 52 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: RNO Reno NV at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 21 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from RNO, 18 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.