Cessna 152 accident near Lake Tahoe, California, June 27, 1988
On June 27, 1988 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N23TW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Tahoe, California (Van Vleck airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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
- June 27, 1988 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Tahoe, California · Van Vleck
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N23TW · registry record · serial 15283297
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO SUSTAIN A POSITIVE CLIMB RATE. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 10000 FEET.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 16, 1988; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mr. Aircraft
The flight
- Destination: 061 Cameron Park CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 3,500 ft by 30 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX88LA236.