Cessna 152 accident near Eloy, Arizona, March 15, 1991
On March 15, 1991 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5496B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eloy, Arizona (Eloy airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING AND THE INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO A PORPOISE CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1991 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eloy, Arizona · Eloy
- 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
- N5496B · no longer on the register · serial 15283886
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT'S STATEMENT, SHE LANDED NORMALLY ON THE MAIN GEAR AND LOWERED THE NOSE WHEEL TO THE PAVEMENT. THE PILOT SAID SHE THEN PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROL YOKE AND THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED BACK INTO THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE AND EVENTUALLY COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR.
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
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- 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: TUC Tucson AZ at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 2, 3,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.