Cessna 152 accident near Rutland, Vermont, July 4, 1991
On July 4, 1991 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69061, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rutland, Vermont (Rutland State 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
THE STUDENT PILOT IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLAPSING OF THE NOSE GEAR. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1991 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rutland, Vermont · Rutland State
- 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
- N69061 · no longer on the register · serial 15282467
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE LAND HARD, BOUNCE 4 TIMES, AND NOSE INTO THE GROUND COLLAPSING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN RECEIVING A RECREATIONAL PILOT CERTIFICATE THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 100 FLIGHT HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alpine Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,207 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.