Cessna 152 N6449M

Summary

On 7 November 1989 at about 00:30 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N6449M, operated by Guetzlaff, Robert W., was involved in an accident near Toledo, Iowa, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 November 1989 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Toledo, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Toledo (8C5)

Coordinates

41.9896, -92.5800

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N6449M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Guetzlaff, Robert W.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ames → Marshaltown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MKC90LA022

1 person had minor injuries.

THE PILOT BECAME LOST/DISORIENTATED AND ATTEMPTED A LANDING AT THE WRONG AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION, AND THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE ON A SOLO, NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT ENCOUNTERED UNFAVORABLE WINDS AND MISTAKENLY ARRIVED AT THE WRONG AIRPORT. SHE TRIED TO ACTIVATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WITHOUT SUCCESS, THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STRUCK POWER LINES ABOUT ONE QUARTER MILE TO THE EAST OF THE APPROACH END OF RWY 35, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED 1.3 HOURS OF NIGHT DUAL INSTRUCTION AND THIS WAS HER FIRST SOLO NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.