Cessna 152 accident near Malaga, Washington, September 26, 1991
On September 26, 1991 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4740H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Malaga, Washington. 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 INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S FAILURE TO INSURE ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE DURING THE GO-AROUND MANEUVER. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE 1) RISING TERRAIN, 2) HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION, AND 3) THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S DELAY OF THE GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1991 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Malaga, Washington · 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
- N4740H · no longer on the register · serial 15283975
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING PRACTICE, THE STUDENT PILOT EXECUTED A GO-AROUND MANEUVER. THE TEMPERATURE WAS REPORTED AS 81 DEGREES F. WITHIN 5 MILES OF THE 1200 FT MSL ACCIDENT SITE. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE SITE WAS ESTIMATED AT 3000 FT. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT, WHO HAD ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO EXECUTE THE GO-AROUND TOWARD RISING TERRAIN, TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND INITIATED A TURN AWAY FROM THE TERRAIN BUT RECOGNIZED THAT A SUCCESSFUL GO-AROUND WAS NOT FORTHCOMING. HE THEN EXECUTED A CONTROLLED COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,871 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 2,767 as pilot in command; 2,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (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
- Operator: Executive Flight, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: EAT Wenatchee WA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.