FTW95LA225

Factual narrative

On June 4, 1995, at 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5134B, collided with a tree during a forced landing near Guthrie, Oklahoma. The flight instructor and his student were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. No flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted by Crabtree Aircraft Co., Inc., under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which was originating when the accident occurred. According to the flight instructor, the engine lost power at about 150 feet above the ground during the initial climb after takeoff on runway 16 at the Guthrie Municipal Airport. He attempted to land in a field straight ahead, however, prior to touchdown, the airplane's right wing struck a tree. The airplane impacted the ground tail first on a heading opposite the flight path. Both wings were bent aft and the fuselage was partially severed aft of the baggage compartment. The flight instructor reported that "an excessive amount of water" was drained from the left fuel tank during the preflight. He further reported that he drained the tank "persistently until it seemed clear of water." Following the accident, the operator drained approximately one quart of water from the gascolator and the left fuel tank. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FOR THE DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD STRAIGHT AHEAD. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE AND THE AIRPLANE SPUN AROUND IMPACTING THE GROUND TAIL FIRST ON A HEADING OPPOSITE TO THE FLIGHT PATH. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED DRAINING 'AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF WATER' FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK DURING THE PREFLIGHT. HE FURTHER REPORTED DRAINING THE TANK 'PERSISTENTLY UNTIL IT SEEMED CLEAR OF WATER.' FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE GASCOLATOR AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12