Cessna 152 accident near Dayton, Ohio, September 26, 2004
On September 26, 2004 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67520, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dayton, Ohio (Dayton-Wright Brothers 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight, due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2004 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Ohio · Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport · 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
- N67520 · no longer on the register · serial 15281887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departing, the student pilot observed one fuel tank full, and the fuel level in the other tank was approximately 1.5 inches below full. The student pilot practiced maneuvers near his home airport for approximately 2 hours. He then returned to the airport, but did not refuel the airplane. The student pilot departed again, and practiced maneuvers for approximately 2.2 hours. While returning to the airport, the engine lost all power. The student pilot attempted to divert and glide to a closer airport, but made a forced landing in a field about 1/2-mile from that airport. During the landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any fuel in the fuel tanks or in the vicinity of the wreckage.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,047 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 2004; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWO Middletown OH at 10:20 pm
- Destination: I73 Dayton OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MGY, 1 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 N67520 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.