Cessna 152 accident near Montague, California, August 24, 1991
On August 24, 1991 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757ZJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montague, California (Siskiyou CO. 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER GO-AROUND PROCEDURE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF TOTAL PILOT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1991 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Montague, California · Siskiyou CO. · 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
- N757ZJ · no longer on the register · serial 15280131
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT AFTER BEING ENDORSED FOR SOLO OPERATIONS. THE PILOT LEVELED THE AIRPLANE TOO HIGH OVER THE RUNWAY AND ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER AND RETRACTED THE FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SETTLE TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT THEN SELECTED 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND REDUCED POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND, LOWERING THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE TO GAIN AIRSPEED. THE NOSE AND PROPELLER THEN CONTACTED THE RUNWAY.
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: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,529 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 3, 1991; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Montague Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 7,484 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.
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.