Cessna 152 accident near Kamas, Utah, September 17, 1990
On September 17, 1990 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67853, was destroyed in an accident near Kamas, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A POSSIBLE DOWNDRAFT CONDITION WHILE MANEUVERING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1990 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kamas, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N67853 · no longer on the register · serial 15282059
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT WHILE MANEUVERING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND EVEN AT BEST RATE OF CLIMB SPEED. THE PILOT LEVELED THE AIRPLANE AND THE AIRSPEED INCREASED; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE HAD DESCENDED BELOW THE RIDGE LINE. UNABLE TO REGAIN ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN, THE PILOT SELECTED AN AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE DESCENT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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: 60 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,101 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 24, 1990; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo UT at 12:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.