Cessna 152 accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi, January 14, 1996
On January 14, 1996 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N68172, 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; 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 RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN A GROUND SWERVE AND SUBSEQUENT OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE NOSE GEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 1996 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Olive Branch, Mississippi · Olive Branch · 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
- N68172 · no longer on the register · serial 152-82163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE THIRD SOLO FULL STOP LANDING OF THE DAY, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, AND THE STUDENT PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE THEN VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY ONTO GRASS, AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,408 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 20, 1995; 40 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: OLV at 9:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MEM, 10 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.