Cessna 152 accident near Coburg, Oregon, March 9, 1987
On March 9, 1987 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N68747, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coburg, Oregon. 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 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
- March 9, 1987 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Coburg, Oregon
- 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
- N68747 · no longer on the register · serial 15282334
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF FLYING HIS LONG CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR HIS PRIVATE PILOTS CERTIFICATE. PRIOR TO REACHING THE HOME AIRPORT, THE STUDENTS INSTRUCTOR TALKED TO HIM FROM THE GROUND AND ADVISED THE STUDENT NOT TO LAND, BUT RATHER CONTINUE ON TO ANOTHER AIRPORT AND THEN TO RETURN AS THE STUDENT NEEDED A LITTLE MORE TIME IN THE AIR. SMALL RAIN SHOWERS WERE PRESENT AND THE STUDENT PILOT MADE SOME COURSE DEVIATIONS. THE PILOT WAS SOUTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. DURING FORCED LANDING ONTO WET GRASS THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER INVERTED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S50 Auburn WA at 9:34 pm
- Destination: CVO Corvallis OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.