Cessna 152 accident near Columbia, Missouri, February 19, 1990
On February 19, 1990 at about 3:07 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6377B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, Missouri (Columbia Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
EXCESSIVE TAXI SPEED AND INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT AND THE DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1990 · about 3:07 am local time
- Place
- Columbia, Missouri · Columbia Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6377B · registry record · serial 15283926
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LOCAL CONTROLLER SAID HE OBSERVED THE ACFT TAXIING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED TO THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED HE FAILED TO SEE THE BLUE TAXIWAY LIGHTS, MARKING THE ENTRANCE, WHERE THE TAXIWAY TURNED ONTO THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE TAXIWAY, HIT A DITCH & NOSED OVER.
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: 176 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 88 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Roederer Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Destination: SUS St Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:07 am from COU, 1 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.
Other NTSB records under N6377B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.