Cessna 152 accident near Polarville, Mississippi, November 10, 1986
On November 10, 1986 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N89543, was substantially damaged in an accident near Polarville, Mississippi (Poplarville Pearl 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1986 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Polarville, Mississippi · Poplarville Pearl · 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
- N89543 · no longer on the register · serial 15282779
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD JUST COMPLETED A TOUCH-&-GO LDG AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF AGAIN. AS HE ADDED POWER, THE ACFT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. THE ACFT CONTINUED LEFT HITTING A DITCH ALONG SIDE THE RWY AND FLIPPING OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN PERFORMING NORMALLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND HE THINKS THAT AS HE APPLIED POWER FOR TAKEOFF, 'P-FACTOR MUST HAVE GOTTEN ME'.
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: 28 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,449 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1986; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PCU Picayune MS
- Destination: MS03 Poplarville MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from GPT, 32 miles away
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.