Cessna 152 accident near Columbus, Mississippi, August 20, 1989
On August 20, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757WX, was destroyed in an accident near Columbus, Mississippi (Columbus Lowndes County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Mississippi · Columbus Lowndes County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757WX · no longer on the register · serial 15280072
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RWY, TRAVELLED ONTO IT, THEN WAS DESTROYED BY POSTCRASH FIRE. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 318 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Taloney Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: M95 Fayette AL at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Observation at 9:55 pm from CBM, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.