Cessna 152 accident near Bally, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1983
On February 19, 1983 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25565, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bally, Pennsylvania (Butler Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1983 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Bally, Pennsylvania · Butler Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N25565 · no longer on the register · serial 15280733
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF FROM THE 1300 FT/BLACKTOP PORTION OF A 2500 FT RUNWAY. THE REMAINDER OF THE RUNWAY WAS SOD. HE STATED THAT HE ROTATED FOR TAKEOFF ABOUT 50 FT FROM THE END OF THE BLACKTOP PORTION AT 56 TO 58 KTS. ALSO, HE REPORTED THAT AS THE PLANE PASSED OVER THE END OF THE BLACKTOP, IT SEEMED TO LOSE LIFT AND THE LEFT WING DROPPED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK SNOW ON THE SIDE OF THE SOD PORTION AND THE PLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. IT THEN DROPPED ONTO THE NOSE GEAR AND CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 100 FT AT A 30 DEG ANGLE FROM THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE PLANE NOSED DOWN, THEN SETTLED BACK ON THE MAIN GEAR.
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: 139 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 71 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 838 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 5, 1983; 90 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: Bally PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.