Cessna 152 accident near Mcminnville, Oregon, March 14, 1998
On March 14, 1998 at about 11:55 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757CZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcminnville, Oregon (Mcminnville Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Disconnection of the throttle cable at the throttle-to-carburetor adapter plate and the failure of the student pilot to shut the aircraft's engine down once a safe landing was assured. Factors contributing to the accident were the soft terrain and overloading of the nose landing gear assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1998 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Mcminnville, Oregon · Mcminnville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757CZ · no longer on the register · serial 15279645
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 51-hour student pilot entered the traffic pattern, and on downwind discovered engine RPM fixed at 2,000. He continued his approach to the 5,419 foot long runway, but made no attempt to shut the engine down once the runway was assured. Unable to stop the aircraft after touchdown, he then attempted a go-around maneuver and then a re-landing in a soft field where, once again, he made no attempt to shut the engine down once the landing field was assured. During the aircraft's movement across the soft field, the nose-gear assembly collapsed in overload and the aircraft nosed over. Post-crash examination revealed that the throttle cable had become disconnected at the throttle-to-carburetor adapter plate on the carburetor throttle arm. The bearing end of the throttle rod, as well as one of its retaining nuts, was absent, as was the bolt which passes through both the rod-end bearing, and the carburetor adapter plate. All three washers on this bolt, as well as its associated nut and cotter key, were also absent. Examination of the aircraft's airframe log revealed that the owner, a certificated mechanic, had removed and replaced the throttle cable 5.4 hours previous to the disconnect.
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: 51 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,470 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 10, 1998; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Flight Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HIO Hillsboro OR at 9:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MMV
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.