Cessna 152C accident near Upland, California, September 2, 1987
On September 2, 1987 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152C, registered N757HK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Upland, California. 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
- September 2, 1987 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152C · all 152Cs on the register
- Registration
- N757HK · no longer on the register · serial 15279751
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DUAL INSTRUCTION FLIGHT COMPLETED 2 FULL STOP LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 06 AT THE CABLE AIRPORT. ON THE NEXT TAKEOFF THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AFTER TURNING ON THE CROSSWIND LEG. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK THE CONTROLS AND TURNED TO THE DOWNWIND LEG BUT THE SETTLING PERSISTED. ALTHOUGH NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED, THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT CONSIDER THAT HE COULD MAKE IT BACK TO THE AIRPORT. HE ELECTED TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 569 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 214 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 461 as pilot in command; 302 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,804 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from ONT, 5 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.