Cessna 152 accident near Blackfoot, Idaho, October 27, 1990
On October 27, 1990 at about 10:09 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5259B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blackfoot, Idaho (Mccarley airport). 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 PILOT DID NOT ADEQUATELY RECOVER FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS WERE IMPROPER AIRSPEED AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1990 · about 10:09 pm local time
- Place
- Blackfoot, Idaho · Mccarley · 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
- N5259B · no longer on the register · serial 15283819
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD CIRCLED THE AIRPORT TWICE TO OBSERVE THE RUNWAY. AN APPROACH WAS SET-UP FOR RUNWAY 1. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE GLIDE PATH WAS OK, HOWEVER, THE AIRSPEED WAS A LITTLE FAST. WHEN THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, IT BOUNCED. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER AND THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN AND BECAME AIRBORNE. ON THE THIRD BOUNCE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE SLID OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER.
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: 34 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: IDA Idaho Falls ID at 9:25 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
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 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N5259B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.