Cessna 152 accident near Plainville, Connecticut, January 10, 1986
On January 10, 1986 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6267Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainville, Connecticut (Robertson 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
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 10, 1986 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Plainville, Connecticut · Robertson
- 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
- N6267Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285214
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS TO PRACTICE SOFT FIELD LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS, STALL SERIES AND VOR NAVIAGTION. AFTER AIRWORK, THE PILOT FLEW TO ROBERTSON FIELD FOR SHORT AND SOFT FIELD LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS. DURING FINAL SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF, 10 DEGREES FLAPS WERE APPLIED BACK PRESSURE HELD TO KEEP WEIGHT OFF NOSE. THE AIRPLANE WAS ACCELERATED TO FULL POWER HOWEVER SOME BACK PRESSURE WAS RELEASED TO FLY EFFECT UNTIL REACHING CLIMB SPEED. A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLANE ROLLED ABOUT 50 FEET, WHEN BRAKING WAS APPLIED, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED DOWNWARD AND 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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 32 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,651 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 1985; 72 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: HFD Hartford CT at 4:50 pm
- Destination: 4B8 Plainville CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,116 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 15,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.