Cessna 152 accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi, April 13, 2003
On April 13, 2003 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi (Olive Branch 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 CFI's improper positioning of the fuel selector valve to the off position which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2003 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Olive Branch, Mississippi · Olive Branch 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
- N757AZ · registry record · serial 15279598
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The CFI reported that after takeoff, the flight proceeded to the practice area where the student pilot performed airwork maneuvers. The flight returned to the departure airport for a planned full-stop landing, entering the traffic pattern for runway 18 on the downwind leg. When the flight was abeam the numbers for runway 18, the CFI positioned the fuel selector to the "off" position to simulate an engine failure as had been done to him as a student. The engine lost power about 5 seconds later after turning onto the base leg. The student pilot recognized the loss of engine power and went through the emergency procedures, to include moving the fuel selector to the "on" position. The engine continued to lose rpm and eventually quit after the fuel selector was positioned to the "on." The CFI confirmed the fuel selector was fully in the on position, took control of the airplane on the base leg, pitched to achieve best glide airspeed, and turned towards the runway. An emergency was declared on the UNICOM frequency and the CFI attempted to restart the engine while flying the airplane; engine restart was unsuccessful. The student helped secure the cockpit and the CFI recognized the airplane could not reach the runway. The airplane was landed on grass short of the runway with the main landing gear first, and he attempted to hold the nose landing gear off the ground. The nose landing gear collapsed after contacting uneven terrain; the CFI and student evacuated the airplane after it came to rest. The CFI further reported there was no mechanical malfunction or failure. Following recovery of the airplane, the engine was started and operated only to idle rpm; impact damage precluded operation at a higher rpm.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 575 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOLV Olive Branch MS
- Destination: KOLV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.