# NTSB ERA26LA023: Cessna 152, N95005, St. Augustine, FL, October 23, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 23, 2025, 08:18 UTC - Place: St. Augustine, FL · 1nm off departure end of RY 31 / SGJ - Coordinates: 29.978317, -81.350533 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9783&lon=-81.3505&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report December 11, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 201924 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA023 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201924/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201924 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA023 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to properly set the elevator trim prior to takeoff, which resulted in her inability to effectively control the airplane’s pitch and a collision with trees at the end of the runway during initial climb. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Flight control system: elevator tab control system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 115 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 84 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The accident takeoff was the student pilot’s second solo flight lesson. She reported that the airplane began to climb with difficulty from the 8,001 ft-long runway, while the airspeed was increasing. She checked the cockpit instrumentation, and everything appeared normal, except the altitude and airspeed. She further described having difficulty pitching the airplane up and it struck trees at the end of the runway. Review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data revealed that the airplane was traveling at 100 kts groundspeed just prior to the collision with trees. The airplane came to rest in a marsh, upright and partially submerged. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Further examination of the wreckage revealed that the flaps were near the 15° extended position, and the elevator trim was near the full nose-down position. Based on this information it is likely that the combined position of the elevator trim resulted in the student pilot’s difficulty controlling the airplane’s pitch during initial climb. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N95005](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N95005), registered now, S/N 15285835, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15285835 - Year built: 1984 - Airframe hours: 8935 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Florida Flyers Academy - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 8, 2025, 44 hours before - Airport: SGJ, Northeast Florida Rgnl, runway 31, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 39 total, 39 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: SGJ, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KSGJ 231156Z 32008KT 10SM CLR 14/10 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP201 7//// T01440100 10183 20144 51018 $= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20251023017979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251023017979A), Oct 23, 2025: Cessna 152, Saint Augustine, FL, Destroyed. Student pilot and solo occupant of the Cessna 152 took off from runway rwy 31 at ksgj on a solo training flight. During the climbout the aircraft leveled off… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201924. 10.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19614789&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for the record - FAA inspector (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19615152&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MFR1-Rel.pdf - ADS-B data (sgj virtower screenshot) (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 6.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19576424&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ADSB-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for the record - wreckage examination (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19576727&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MFR-Rel.pdf - Investigation photograph (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 221 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19575450&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photograph-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.