On April 19, 2001, a Cessna 152 (registration N95655) was involved in an aviation accident near LA Grange, KY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering the airplane at low altitude. A factor was the pilot's overconfidence in his abilities. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A student pilot maneuvering at low altitude near family members experienced a sudden nose-dive into terrain. The pilot had 35 hours of flight time, with no mechanical malfunction found.
Accident Details
A student pilot was operating an airplane near family members at low altitudes. The aircraft was flown at heights between 100 and 300 feet above the ground. During approximately five minutes of maneuvering, the pilot performed circling and wing-wagging actions. Subsequently, the airplane turned toward the southwest and abruptly entered a nose-dive into the terrain.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a student certificate and had accumulated about 35 hours of flight time before the accident. This experience included 1.1 hours of solo flight conducted earlier on the same day.
Weather and Mechanical Examination
Weather conditions at the time consisted of clear skies and wind speeds below 10 knots. Investigators found no evidence of mechanical malfunction.