Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

August 3, 1992 · Cessna 152 · N49016

Maricopa, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 3, 1992
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Maricopa, AZ
Aircraft
Cessna 152
Tail Number
N49016
Operator
Action Technical Associates
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX92FA331

There were no eyewitnesses to the accident. According to the operator, the pilot rented the airplane to practice ground reference maneuvers in the south practice area. The weather was VMC, and other pilots flying in the vicinity reported no significant weather phenomena. Twelve months prior to the accident, at the pilot's third class medical certificate renewal, he reported 480 total flight hours with no hours in the preceding six months. According to flight school records, he received about 2.7 hours after his medical, of dual instruction and a biennial flight review. The pilot then flew solo through July 7, 1992, for about 8.7 hours. According to the metallurgist's factual report, the wing's lower strut attach points failed due to overstress. Cessna Aircraft tested a 150K fuselage during certification work on the A152 model and found that the lower lift strut attach fitting failed at 8.28 G's. Engineers calculated that an airspeed of 153.2 mph was required at gross weight to generate the 8.28 G load which caused the strut attach failure. Maneuvering speed for the aircraft is 103 mph.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCTURE BY ATTEMPTING AN ABRUPT MANEUVER AT A SPEED IN EXCESS OF THE MANEUVERING SPEED.

Full Narrative

THERE WERE NO EYE WITNESSES'S TO THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT RENTED THE AIRPLANE TO PRACTICE GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS IN THE SOUTH PRACTICE AREA. THE WEATHER WAS VMC, AND OTHER PILOTS FLYING IN THE VICINITY REPORTED NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER PHENOMONA. TWELVE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AT THE PILOTS THIRD CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE RENEWAL HE REPORTED 480 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS WITH NO HOURS IN THE PRECEEDING SIX MONTHS. ACCORDING TO FLIGHT SCHOOL RECORDS HE RECIEVED ABOUT 2.7 HOURS AFTER HIS MEDICAL, OF DUAL INSTRUCTION AND A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. THE PILOT THEN FLEW SOLO THROUGH JULY 7, 1992, FOR ABOUT 8.7 HOURS. ACCORDING TO THE METALLURGIST'S FACTUAL REPORT, THE WINGS LOWER STRUT ATTATCH POINTS FAILED DUE TO OVERSTRESS. CESSNA AIRCRAFT TESTED A 150K FUSELAGE DURING CERTIFICATION WORK ON THE A152 MODEL AND FOUND THAT THE LOWER LIFT STRUT ATTATCH FITTING FAILED AT 8.28 G'S. ENGINEERS CALCULATED THAT AN AIRSPEED OF 153.2 MPH WAS REQUIRED AT GROSS WEIGHT TO GENERATE THE 8.28 G LOAD WHICH CAUSED THE STRUT ATTATCH FAILURE. MANEUVERING SPEED FOR THE AIRCRAFT IS 103 MPH.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time09:06 MST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 152
Tail NumberN49016
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorAction Technical Associates
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-235-L2C · Reciprocating · 110
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 40 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind270° @ 7 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data