Cessna 152 accident near Ephrata, Washington, July 23, 2010
On July 23, 2010 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6139M, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Ephrata, Washington (Ephrata Municipal Airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a fire hydrant while taxiing to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2010 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ephrata, Washington · Ephrata Municipal Airport · 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
- N6139M · registry record · serial 15284630
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) reported that he was taxiing the airplane to the active runway. As he came around a hangar he noted that the sun was extremely bright, as it was just on the horizon. The CFI then taxied the airplane into a fire hydrant, resulting in damage to the right horizontal stabilizer. The CFI reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Glare › Effect on personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Response/compensation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 445 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 347 as pilot in command; 7 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 8, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 1 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,832 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EPH Ephrata WA
- Destination: EPH Ephrata WA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from EPH
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.
Other NTSB records under N6139M 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.