Cessna 152 accident near New Castle, Pennsylvania, April 18, 1990
On April 18, 1990 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48259, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Castle, Pennsylvania (Beaver CO. 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
INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT PILOT BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY A STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1990 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Castle, Pennsylvania · Beaver CO.
- 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
- N48259 · no longer on the register · serial 15283314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT WERE PRACTICING LANDINGS. ON THE LAST APPROACH AND LANDING, THE STUDENT RAISED THE AIRPLANE TO A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND THE STALL WARNING HORN WENT OFF. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THE STUDENT PILOT PUSHED FORWARD ON THE CONTROL YOKE, PUTTING THE AIRPLANE IN A NOSE LOW PITCH ATTITUDE. THE NOSE WHEEL STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND SHEARED OFF, PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REGAINING CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE STOPPED IN ABOUT 200 FEET.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 842 hours in all; 449 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 740 as pilot in command; 431 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Stenson Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BVI Beaver Falls PA at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N48259 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.