Cessna 152 accident near Chandler, Arizona, November 4, 1988
On November 4, 1988 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4657L, was destroyed in an accident near Chandler, Arizona (Pima Memorial airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- November 4, 1988 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Pima Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4657L · no longer on the register · serial 15284210
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY WHILE MANEUVERING FOR LANDING. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE TESTING ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WITH METEOROLOGICAL EQUIPMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH NOISE TESTING OF A BOEING 707 'HUSH' KIT. THE CESSNA TOOKOFF HEADING SE. IT CLIMBED TO 800 FT AGL AND BEGAN DOING DESCENDING RIGHT-HAND TURNS OVER AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT ON THE GROUND. AFTER DESCENDING TO ABOUT 50 FT AGL, THE CESSNA CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 FT AGL. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ALIGN THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE RUNWAY. HEADING SE CROSSING OVER THE RUNWAY AT AN ANGLE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS TURNED LEFT TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. DURING THE LEFT-HAND TURN THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND ENTERED A LEFT-HAND SPIN. THE AIRCRAFT MADE 1/2 TO 3/4 REVOLUTION PRIOR TO MAKING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED IN AN OVERWEIGHT CONDITION.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 8,560 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from CHD, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.