Cessna 152 accident near Sterling, Massachusetts, October 7, 1989
On October 7, 1989 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69169, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sterling, Massachusetts (Sterling 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
INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO INADVERTENT RETRACTION OF THE WING FLAPS DURING A GO AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1989 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Massachusetts · Sterling
- 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
- N69169 · no longer on the register · serial 15282523
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT IN THE CESSNA 152, RETURNED FOR LANDING. HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 34 WITH A VARIABLE CROSSWIND FROM 340-250 DEGREES AT 10-15 KNOTS. HE SAID HE HAD LANDING FLAPS (30 DEGREES) AND THEN STARTED TO DRIFT RIGHT. HE SAID HE ADDED FULL POWER FOR A GO AROUND, TRIED TO RETRACT THE WING FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES, HOWEVER, THEY CAME UP ALL THE WAY AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, STRIKING THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.
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
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 21 as pilot in command; 27 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fuller Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Destination: 3B3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,010 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
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.