Cessna 152 accident near Cottage Grove, Minnesota, May 11, 1989
On May 11, 1989 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5357Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottage Grove, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL; AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH WOODED/HILLY TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1989 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5357Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE PLT & AN ACQUAINTANCE TOOK OFF ON A LOCAL FLT, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING LOW OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE ACFT'S WHEELS TOUCHED THE WATER AT ONE POINT. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO CLIMB & BEGIN CIRCLING A CHEMICAL PLANT, NEAR THE RIVER, WHERE PRODUCTION LIGHTING WAS BEING USED TO FILM A DOCUMENTARY AT DUSK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ENTERED A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & CRASHED IN A NEARBY WOODED AREA ON THE RIVER BLUFF. A SHORT TIME AFTER THE ACDNT, MEDICAL PERSONNEL ARRIVED & PROVIDED ASSISTANCE. DRG AN INVESTIGATION, NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. AS THE OCCUPANTS WERE BEING REMOVED FROM THE ACDNT SITE, THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL WAS NOTED. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE PLT HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.143% (143 MG/DL) & THE PASSENGER HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL OF 0.186% (186 MG/DL).
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 750 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,740 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 17, 1989; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wing'S INC.
The flight
- Departed from: STP St Paul MN at 1:38 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from MSP, 15 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.