Cessna 152 accident near Bakersfield, California, July 25, 1988
On July 25, 1988 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N68342, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield). 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).
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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
- July 25, 1988 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield · 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
- N68342 · registry record · serial 15282269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT RPRTD THAT DRG A LNDG ON A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, HIS FINAL APCH WAS A LITTLE FAST. DRG THE LNDG, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO PORPOISE. HOWEVER, BEFORE THE STUDENT REGAINED CONTROL, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 56 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,205 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 15, 1988; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Security Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: HHR Hawthorne CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: L45
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 3,150 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from BFL, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N68342 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX88LA270.