Cessna 152 accident near Buffalo, Minnesota, May 2, 1989
On May 2, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6436P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buffalo, Minnesota (Buffalo 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE THROTTLE, AND THE DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Buffalo, Minnesota · Buffalo · 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
- N6436P · registry record · serial 15285013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT SAID THAT WHILE PRACTICING TAKE-OFFS & LANDINGS IN LIGHT X-WIND CONDITIONS, HE DID NOT MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE 2ND LANDING. HE OVER-CORRECTED, FAILED TO REDUCE POWER TO IDLE, THEN APPLIED BRAKES. HE SAID HE PANICKED & DECIDED TO 'RIDE IT OUT' RATHER THAN MAKE A GO-AROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY, CROSSED A DITCH & STOPPED WITH THE NOSE 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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,621 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1989; 23 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: 8Y2 Buffalo MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from MSP, 32 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.
Other NTSB records under N6436P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC89LA101.