Cessna 152 accident near Green Valley, Arizona, February 12, 1989
On February 12, 1989 at about 11:55 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5496B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Green Valley, Arizona. It was a personal 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 STUDENT PILOT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT IN NOT MAINTAINING PROPER ALTITUDE. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OVERALL LACK OF EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1989 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Green Valley, 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
- N5496B · no longer on the register · serial 15283886
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT INITIALLY REPORTED, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A BIRD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RUDDER CONTROL WAS NOT OPERATING AND DURING THE FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TRANSMISSION WIRE. IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A BIRD STRIKE. THE PILOT THEN CHANGED HIS STORY AND STATED THAT HE COLLIDED WITH A PARACHUTIST. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF A MISSING PERSON OR INCIDENT IN THE AREA. THE PILOT THEN STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SOMETHING. A ROUND GOUGE WAS FOUND ON THE TOP ONE THIRD OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER. THE STABILIZER WAS BENT SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT SIDE AND PARTIALLY JAMMED THE MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDER. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CARRYING A PASSENGER WHO STATED THAT HE WAS ASLEEP AND HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACCIDENT THE STUDENT PILOT DID NOT FILE AN ACCIDENT REPORT.
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: 26 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Double Eagle Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 17,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from TUS
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.
Other NTSB records under N5496B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.