Cessna 152 accident near Greenwood, Mississippi, October 3, 1994
On October 3, 1994 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N65454, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenwood, Mississippi. 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 STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION CONCERNING THE SELECTION/APPROACH/EXECUTION OF THE EMERGENCY LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE, HIS BECOMING LOST/DISORIENTED, THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK, AND THE PROXIMITY OF TREES TO THE SELECTED EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1994 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Greenwood, Mississippi
- 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
- N65454 · registry record · serial 81561
- 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 ON THE SECOND LEG OF A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN HE BECAME LOST AND DISORIENTED. AS THE FUEL LEVEL WAS GETTING LOW AND DARKNESS WAS APPROACHING, HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT SPACE TO STOP, SO HE STEERED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT, BUT IT COLLIDED WITH A TREE BEFORE STOPPING.
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: 34 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,244 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 1994; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Venture CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: TUP Tupelo MS at 10:20 pm
- Destination: OLV Olive Branch MS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.