Cessna 152 accident near Marysville, Washington, December 6, 1992
On December 6, 1992 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69260, was destroyed in an accident near Marysville, Washington. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRFRAME WERE EXCEEDED BY THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1992 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Marysville, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N69260 · no longer on the register · serial 15282589
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS DESCRIBED THE AIRCRAFT AS DESCENDING WITH ITS WINGS FOLDED IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT. THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS FOLDED DOWNWARD NEARLY 90 DEGREES AT APPROXIMATELY MID SPAR, AND THE RIGHT ELEVATOR AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS ALSO FOLDED DOWNWARD IN TWO LOCATIONS. BOTH WINGS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF FAILING DOWNWARD OUTBOARD OF THE WING STRUT ATTACHMENT POINTS. DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THE PREVIOUS DAY, THE STUDENT HAD ASKED HIS INSTRUCTOR TO DEMONSTRATE SPINS. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD DECLINED, ADVISING THE STUDENT THAT PARACHUTES WERE REQUIRED FOR SPIN TRAINING.
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
- Flight time: 49 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,893 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 12, 1992; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2CM (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 3:50 pm
- Destination: PAE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from PAE, 10 miles away
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.