Cessna 152II accident near Franklin, Pennsylvania, January 16, 1985
On January 16, 1985 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152II, registered N5497P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Franklin, Pennsylvania (Franklin airport). It was an instructional 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
- January 16, 1985 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Pennsylvania · Franklin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152II · all 152IIs on the register
- Registration
- N5497P · no longer on the register · serial 15284960
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE DURING A LANDING IN DEEP SNOW AT FRANKLIN CENTER ARPT AFTER A PARTIAL LOSS OR PWR. THE CFI AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING APCH TO LANDING STALL RECOVERY WHEN THE ENG FAILED TO PRODUCE FULL PWR. THERE WAS UNSUFFICIENT PWR TO MAINTAIN ALT, SO THE CFI DECIDED TO LAND AT FRANKLIN CENTER. WHEN THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP. PARTIAL PWR WAS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE LANDING. THE PLT STATED THE RWY WAS COVERED WITH APRX 1 FOOT OF SNOW.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,015 hours in all; 367 in this make and model; 151 in the last 90 days; 994 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ERI Erie PA at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,400 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Observation at 3:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.