Cessna 152 accident near Near Kent, Washington, February 12, 1983
On February 12, 1983 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25320, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Kent, Washington (Crest 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1983 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Near Kent, Washington · Crest Airport · map
- 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
- N25320 · registry record · serial 15280593
- 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 ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURBULENCE DURING A CLIMB TO 2000 FEET SO THE TOOK THE CONTROLS AND THE RETARDED POWER TO LOWER SPEED AND LOSE ALTITUDE. DESCENT WAS MADE FROM 1800 FEET TO 1300 FEET BEFORE THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED AND WHEN IT WAS THERE WAS NO ENGINE RESPONSE. A LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. DURING THE LANDING THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A SIGN WHILE THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO AVOID TRAFFIC. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF YAWING, SLIDING MANEUVERS UNTIL IT STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER OFHIGHWAY 18. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE ENGINE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY STARTED AND IT IDLED SATISFACTORILY.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 3,053 hours in all; 852 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 2,898 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,463 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 18, 1982; 55 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: S36 Kent WA at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 am from RNT, 9 miles away
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.
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.