Cessna 152 accident near Tucson, Arizona, February 8, 1987
On February 8, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N24317, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- February 8, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N24317 · no longer on the register · serial 15280214
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A VIBRATION AND A SUBSTANTIAL POWER LOSS. THE ACFT WAS FORCED TO LAND OFF THE ARPT IN THE HIGH VEGETATION. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER WAS NOT DEVELOPING COMPRESSION. THE PROPELLER WAS ROTATED AND THE PISTON WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE #3 CYLINDER ASSEMBLY AND PISTON WERE REMOVED AND FOUND THAT THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING WAS BADLY SCORED WITH NO APPARENT LUBRICATION VISIBLE. ONE CONNECTING ROD BOLT WAS FOUND SHEARED. A SAMPLE OF OIL WAS ANALYZED AND FOUND TO CONTAIN A SLIGHTLY HIGH CONTENT OF DIRT. A HIGH CONTENT OF ALUMINUM AND COPPER WERE ALSO NOTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 793 hours in all; 319 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 625 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,624 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 14, 1986; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 14 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from TUS, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.