Cessna 152 accident near Bedford, Massachusetts, April 10, 1989
On April 10, 1989 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N94822, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bedford, Massachusetts (Bedford 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
IMPROPER USE OF THROTTLE AND FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE STUDENT AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CFI WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. THE STUDENT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLYING EXPERIENCE AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION (INSTRUCTING) WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1989 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bedford, Massachusetts · Bedford
- 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
- N94822 · registry record · serial 15285795
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) ELECTED TO FLY IN A CLOSED TRAFFIC PATTERN. THEY MADE A LOW APCH ON THE 1ST PATTERN WITH 30 DEG OF FLAPS. AS THE ACFT WAS ON THE LOW APCH OVER THE RWY, THE STUDENT WAS INSTRUCTED TO ADD POWER FOR A GO- AROUND. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF ADDING POWER, THE STUDENT RAISED THE ACFT'S NOSE, THEN THE RGT WING DROPPED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE RWY WITH THE RGT MAIN GEAR & RGT WING. IT THEN VEERED TO THE RGT & ONE WHEEL WENT OFF THE RWY & ONTO THE GRASS. DRG THE OCCURRENCE, THE RGT MAIN STRUT & RGT WINGTIP WERE DAMAGED. THE CFI HAD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 559 HRS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 559 hours in all; 94 in this make and model; 265 in the last 90 days; 499 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,848 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 1989; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BED at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.