Cessna 152 accident near Shafter, California, March 22, 1985
On March 22, 1985 at about 11:53 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67001, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shafter, California (Shafter-Minter Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1985 · about 11:53 pm local time
- Place
- Shafter, California · Shafter-Minter Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N67001 · registry record · serial 15281715
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON HIS 1ST SUPERVISED SOLO FLT. HE REPORTED THAT ON DOWNWIND, THE ACFT WAS TOO HI, SO HE EXTENDED 10 DEG OF FLAPS. ON BASE, HE EXTENDED THE FLAPS TO 20 DEG, & BEFORE TURNING ONTO FINAL APCH, HE FURTHER EXTENDED THEM TO 30 DEG. THE STUDENT THEN REALIZED THE ACFT WAS GETTING TOO LOW, SO HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS. THE ACFT THEN DESCENDED EXTREMELY LOW, COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES APRX 1/2 MI FROM THE RWY & CRASH LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE CHIEF INSTRUCTOR BELIEVED THE STUDENT'S CFI USED IMPROPER METHODS & RELEASED THE STUDENT FOR SOLO BEFORE HE WAS READY. TWO OTHER EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORS PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL 40 HRS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION & DID NOT RE-SOLO THE STUDENT.
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: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,353 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Center International, INC.
The flight
- Destination: MIT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,520 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX85LA184.