Cessna 152 accident near Kelso, Washington, January 5, 2006
On January 5, 2006 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N444QA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kelso, Washington (Kelso-Longview airport). It was a personal 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
Encounter with carburetor icing conditions while maneuvering for the downwind which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. The aircraft nosing over during the landing roll in soft sand was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2006 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Kelso, Washington · Kelso-Longview · 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
- N444QA · registry record · serial 15282123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to take the aircraft out on a maintenance check flight as the aircraft had not flown much in the preceding three months. After about 50 minutes, the pilot returned to the airport. The pilot stated that he had checked for carburetor ice several times during the flight. During the return flight to the airport in mist, the pilot applied carburetor heat and reduced power to descend from 2,000 feet to 1,100 feet. The pilot was setting up for a 45 degree entry to runway 12 when he closed the carburetor heat and applied power. The pilot stated that the engine did not respond and would not "make power." The pilot was unable to get power back to the engine, which eventually lost all power before he initiated a forced landing to an open sand pit. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over. A post-crash inspection of the engine found that the engine was able to be started. Due to impact damage, the engine was run only for a short time before it was shut down. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the weather conditions was conducive for serious carburetor icing at cruise power.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,170 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,940 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kelso Flight Services
The flight
- Departed from: KLS Kelso WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft; a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KLS, 1 miles away
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.