Cessna 152 accident near San Jose, California, January 5, 1995
On January 5, 1995 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25953, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California. It was an instructional 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 improper supervision of the student pilot by the instructor by allowing the student to inadvertently pull the mixture control handle too far out causing the engine to lose power. The wet terrain condition was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 1995 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · 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
- N25953 · no longer on the register · serial 15280879
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE FORCED LANDINGS WITH HIS INSTRUCTOR. DURING ONE OF THE APPROACHES, THE STUDENT INADVERTENTLY PULLED OUT THE MIXTURE CONTROL HANDLE TOO FAR AND THE ENGINE QUIT. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE BY THE INSTRUCTOR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE INSTRUCTOR LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A MUDDY FIELD AND IT NOSED OVER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND EXAMINED. AFTER THE EXAMINATION, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION OR THE ENGINE RUN.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,490 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 6,240 as pilot in command; 5,600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 30, 1994; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Q99 San Martin CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.