Casualties unknown

1990-12-27: Cessna 152 (N5133B) — Great Western Aviation — Logan, UT

Logan, UT, US

On December 27, 1990, a Cessna 152 (registration N5133B) operated by Great Western Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Logan, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The instructor's inability to overpower the student's left rudder input during a critical phase of flight, which resulted in the aircraft leaving the runway and sustaining damage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 15 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A certified flight instructor attempted to correct a student's left drift from the runway centerline by verbal caution. When that failed, he tried to take control but was unable to overpower the student's rudder input.

What happened

The incident occurred during a training flight involving a certified flight instructor and a student pilot. As the aircraft was operating on the runway, the student began to drift toward the left side of the centerline. Recognizing the deviation, the certified flight instructor initially attempted to correct the situation by providing verbal instructions to the student.

When the verbal corrections proved ineffective and the aircraft continued its leftward drift, the instructor decided to intervene physically. He attempted to take control of the aircraft from the student pilot. However, the student maintained firm pressure on the left rudder pedal. The instructor was unable to overpower this input, resulting in a loss of directional control.

Consequently, the aircraft departed the paved surface on the left side and entered a snowbank. The force of the impact caused the nose gear to collapse, leading to a nosedown attitude for the aircraft.

Probable cause

The instructor's inability to overpower the student's left rudder input during a critical phase of flight, which resulted in the aircraft leaving the runway and sustaining damage.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X24827. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.