Cessna 152 accident near St. Charles, Missouri, July 3, 1989
On July 3, 1989 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49554, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Charles, Missouri (St. Charles airport). It was a personal 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
AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND DUE TO IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS IN FLARING THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING AND COUNTERACTING THE EFFECTS OF THE CROSS-WIND ON THE DRIFTING AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1989 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- St. Charles, Missouri · St. Charles · 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
- N49554 · no longer on the register · serial 15281310
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT SAID THAT HE DEPARTED RUNWAY 9 IN ORDER TO PRACTICE SOME LOCAL CROSS-WIND TAKEOFFS AND LDGS. THE SURFACE WIND WAS ABOUT 10 TO 15 KNOTS AND ABOUT 70 TO 90 DEGREES FROM THE LEFT OF RUNWAY HEADING. THE ACFT BOUNCED HARD, BECAME AIRBORNE, DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT ELECTED TO CONTINUE WITH THE LDG AS OPPOSED TO MAKING A GO-AROUND, DUE TO PROXIMITY OF PARKED ACFT ON THE RAMP. HE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE THE ACFT TO A HALT PRIOR TO ENTERING A BORDERING CORNFIELD, BUT THE RIGHT WING HIT THE CORN FIELD CAUSING THE ACFT TO SPIN AND STRIKE THE LEFT WING ON THE TERRAIN. THE NOSE WHEEL ENCOUNTERED A SMALL GULLEY AND THE ACFT FLIPPED INVERTED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 35 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,441 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 23, 1989; 10 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: 3SQ St Charles MO at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from STL, 8 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.