Cessna 152 accident near Zanesville, Ohio, November 9, 1990
On November 9, 1990 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757FW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zanesville, Ohio. It was a business 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
IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURETOR ICING (WEATHER) CONDITIONS AND SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1990 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Zanesville, Ohio · map
- 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
- N757FW · no longer on the register · serial 15279714
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CRUISING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 6000 FT WITH AN OAT OF 2 TO 3 DEG C. THE ENGINE STARTED SURGING AND THEN LOST POWER. THE CONTROLLER ATTEMPTED TO RADAR VECTOR THE FLIGHT TO AN AIRPORT; HOWEVER, THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD. THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER DUE TO THE SOFT LANDING SURFACE. NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-EXISTING FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,891 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 429 in the last 90 days; 125 in the last 30 days; 1,848 as pilot in command
- 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
The flight
- Departed from: EWR Newark NJ at 4:15 pm
- Destination: CMH Port Columbus OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:50 pm from ZZV
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.
Other NTSB records under N757FW 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.