Cessna 152 accident near Hickory, North Carolina, December 18, 1999
On December 18, 1999 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N95775, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hickory, North Carolina (Wilson Airport). 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 certified flight instructor (CFI) failure to maintain directional control on rough terrain on takeoff. This resulted in the airplane veering to the left, colliding with bushes after the airplane became airborne, and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the CFI's improper decision to conduct training from an unfamiliar airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 1999 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hickory, North Carolina · Wilson Airport · 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
- N95775 · no longer on the register · serial 15285966
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) was demonstrating a soft field takeoff to a student pilot from an unfamiliar airport, which he had not conducted training from in the past. On takeoff roll the airplane collided with a bump and the airplane veered to the left. The CFI decided there was insufficient runway remaining to abort the takeoff. The airplane became airborne, the left wing collided with bushes, the CFI decreased power, the airplane rotated to the left, and collided with terrain.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 456 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 367 as pilot in command; 185 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,363 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 16, 1999; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Profile Aviation Center INC.
The flight
- Departed from: E40 NC at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,200 ft by 85 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from GSO
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.