Cessna 152L accident near East Berne, New York, August 3, 1993
On August 3, 1993 at about 1:17 pm local time, a Cessna 152L, registered N10489, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Berne, New York (Heldeberg Airstrip airport). It was a personal 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
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning for a departure from a short field and his failure to attain a proper climb rate, resulting in an in-flight collision with a 5 foot pole located on rising terrain, 20 feet above the airport elevation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1993 · about 1:17 pm local time
- Place
- East Berne, New York · Heldeberg Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152L · all 152Ls on the register
- Registration
- N10489 · no longer on the register · serial 15074887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM A 1400 FOOT GRAVEL RUNWAY TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER CROSSING THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE CEASED CLIMBING. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 5-FOOT POLE, 20 FEET ABOVE THE AIRPORT ELEVATION, 600 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT CALCULATED THE TAKEOFF WEIGHT TO BE 38 POUNDS UNDER THE MAXIMUM. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE AIRPLANE REQUIRED A GROUND ROLL OF 900 FEET FOR A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF, AND 1660 FEET TO CLEAR A 50 FOOT OBSTACLE. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE POLE APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,175 hours in all; 198 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 6,200 as pilot in command; 2,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,749 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1992; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MHT Manchester MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,400 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from ALB, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.