Cessna 152 accident near Glendale, Arizona, April 15, 2009
On April 15, 2009 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6285M, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the failure of both magnetos resulting from an improper maintenance repair by maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2009 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6285M · no longer on the register · serial 15284653
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student were returning to the airport when the airplane's engine began running rough. The roughness became increasingly worse, and finally the engine "sputtered briefly" and lost power. The flight instructor was unable to restart the engine, and he initiated a forced landing onto a nearby grassy field. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a chain link fence, resulting in structural damage to the right wing. During postaccident examination of the airplane, several attempts were made to start and run the engine; however, it would not start. The magnetos were removed from the engine and tested, and neither produced spark. Disassembly of the left magneto revealed the failure of the secondary coil. Disassembly of the right magneto revealed that the point gap was set incorrectly and that the lead connector from the magneto's coil to the points was loose. Review of maintenance records revealed that the magnetos were removed 3 tachometer hours prior to the accident; new points, capacitors, and gaskets were installed and the magnetos were reinstalled on the engine.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Malfunction
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Incorrect service/maintenance
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 230 as pilot in command; 75 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 4, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,841 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Safety Flight Academy
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 3:30 pm
- Destination: GEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 pm from GEU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.