Cessna 152 accident near Rose Hill, Kansas, July 20, 1982
On July 20, 1982 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5179B, was destroyed in an accident near Rose Hill, Kansas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- July 20, 1982 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rose Hill, Kansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5179B · registry record · serial 1520123
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A SOLO FLIGHT WHILE HE WAS IN A TRAINING PHASE TO PRACTICE FLIGHT MANEUVERS. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND BURNED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLANE DID NOT MOVE AFTER IMPACT AND BOTH WINGS WERE CRUSHED (ACCORDIONED) STRAIGHT BACK. CONTINUITY OF THE CONTROL CABLES WAS ESTABLISHED. THE ENGINE WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY THE IMPACT AND FIRE, BUT NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS EVIDENT. THE CRASH SITE AND THE TRAINING AREA WERE LOCATED NEAR THE HOME OF THE PILOT'S FATHER. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 4200 FT.
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: 43 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 730 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Cook Airfield, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Cook Airfield KS at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Cook Airfield KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 208°F (98°C), dew point 0°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.