Cessna 152 N25787

Summary

On 25 September 2003 at about 20:45 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N25787 was involved in an accident near Three Oaks, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 September 2003 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Three Oaks, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

41.8197, -86.5975

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N25787

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Three Oaks → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI03FA320

1 person died.

The pilot not maintaining adequate airspeed resulting in a stall during takeoff. Contributing factors were the buzzing flight and trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain after takeoff. A witness stated, "My brother, [the pilot], took off from the airstrip in the back of his property for a short flight to "buzz" us and fly over the house. ... The take-off appeared and sounded normal to my other brother and I standing at the house end of the airstrip watching him go. The plane banked to the right and approximately halfway into the turn the nose of the plane pointed straight down so that for 1/2 a second the entire plane was visible just above the far treeline with top (roof) of the plane and the wingspan facing us squarely. It fell straight down disappearing into the neighboring cornfield followed immediately by a small crash sound and then silence." Weather was: Wind 290 degrees at 9 knots, variable between 250 and 310 degrees; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition few 3,800 feet; temperature 13 degrees C; dew point 4 degrees C; altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury. An on-scene investigation revealed both wing flaps were found retracted and the flap selector was at zero degrees. Fuel was found in the left wing fuel tank and in the carburetor. The right tank was found ruptured. Control continuity was established from the cockpit controls to each flight control surface and to the engine. The engine produced a thumb compression at each cylinder and both magnetos produced a spark at the end of each spark plug lead as the engine's crankshaft was rotated. The propeller exhibited chordwise scratches on the outboard section of one of its blades. The other blade was found with a forward bend. No anomalies were detected with the airplane and engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.