Cessna 152 accident near Concord, California, May 26, 1985
On May 26, 1985 at about 4:15 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N66942, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concord, California. 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
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
- May 26, 1985 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Concord, California
- 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
- N66942 · no longer on the register · serial 15281677
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED POWER LINES DURING A NIGHT FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT HAD FLOWN FROM CONCORD, CA, TO RENO, NV, AND WAS RETURNING TO CONCORD WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PLT WAS RECENTLY CHECKED OUT IN THE ACFT AND WAS USED TO FLYING MOONEYS. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT REFUEL THE ACFT PRIOR TO DEPARTING RENO BECAUSE HE FEARED THE ACFT PERFORMANCE WOULD BE DETERIORATED AND HE HAD TO CROSS THE MOUNTAINS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 547 hours in all; 206 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 451 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,187 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 7, 1984; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 1:15 am
- Destination: HWE Hayward CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 22 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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.