# NTSB MIA01LA217: Cessna 152, N69120, Summerfield, FL, August 16, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 16, 2001, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Summerfield, FL - Coordinates: 28.999776, -82.030258 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.9998&lon=-82.0303&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 2, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards Disctrict Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 53044 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01LA217 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53044/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA217 ## Probable cause The poor in-flight planning decision by the student pilot for his failure to turn around to avoid low ceilings resulting in a precautionary landing in a field. A contributing factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience. A finding in the investigation was the pilot's intentional flight into instrument meteorologiocal conditions (IMC) on 2 separate occasions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - precautionary landing - performed, pilot in command - object - fence ## Analysis The pilot stated he was on a cross-country flight in preparation for a checkride that was scheduled for August 20, 2001. The first leg from Kissimmee to Brooksville was uneventful. The flight departed for the second leg and while en route, the cloud base decreased, resulting in his flying at a lower altitude. The flight continued and when it was near the destination, the weather became increasingly worse. The flight encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and he elected to continue flying in IMC due to a thunderstorm that was behind the airplane. He then elected to turn to get out of the IMC conditions but momentarily lost control of the airplane. He recovered from the loss of control and descended to just above the treetops, then elected to get on top of the cloud layer and climbed into IMC conditions. He again descended and reversed course to back track. He was unable to locate landmarks and obtain assistance from air traffic control to his "Pan" calls on 121.5. With a thunderstorm moving from west to east he elected to land in a field and flew downwind, base, and final leg. He landed the airplane in the field but during the landing roll, the airplane collided with a fence collapsing the nose landing gear. He secured the airplane and waited for further assistance. According to the Operations Manager for the operator, examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane touched down in a first field then rolled approximately 1,000 feet before colliding with the barbed wire fence. During recovery of the airplane from the field, each fuel tank had 5+ gallons of fuel; the left wing fuel tank had slightly less fuel when recovered. ## Factual narrative On August 16, 2001 at about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N69120, registered to Kissimmee Air Center and operated by Orlando Flight Training, Inc., collided with a fence during a precautionary landing in the cow pasture near Summerfield, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 0855, from the Hernando County Airport, Brooksville, Florida. According to the pilot, he was on a cross-country flight in preparation for a checkride that was scheduled for August 20, 2001. The first leg from Kissimmee to Brooksville was uneventful. The flight departed for the second leg and while en route, the cloud base decreased, resulting in his flying at a lower altitude. The flight continued and when it was near the destination, the weather became increasingly worse. The flight encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and he elected to continue flying in IMC due to deteriorating weather behind his position. He then elected to turn to get out of the IMC conditions but momentarily lost control of the airplane. He recovered from the loss of control and descended to just above the treetops, then elected to get on top of the cloud layer and climbed into IMC conditions. He again descended and reversed course to back track. He was unable to locate landmarks and obtain assistance from air traffic control to his "Pan" calls on 121.5. With a thunderstorm moving from west to east he elected to land in a field and flew downwind, base, and final leg. He landed the airplane in the field but during the landing roll, the airplane collided with a fence collapsing the nose landing gear. He secured the airplane and waited for further assistance. According to the Operations Manager for the operator, examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane touched down in a first field then rolled approximately 1,000 feet before colliding with the barbed wire fence. During recovery of the airplane from the field, each fuel tank had 5+ gallons of fuel; the left wing fuel tank had slightly less fuel when recovered. ## Aircraft - Registration: N69120 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15282495 - Airframe hours: 8297.5 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Orlando Flight Training, Inc. - Registered owner: Kissimmee Air Center - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 23, 2001, 78.3 hours before - Departed: KBKV, Brooksville, FL - Destination: KOCF, Ocala, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 17; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 50 total, 50 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,600 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 79 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KOCF ## 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 20010816023339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010816023339A), Aug 16, 2001: Cessna 152, Summerfield, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) During a solo cross country flight the student pilot entered IMC. The frequency readout on the navigation side of the nav/com was unreadable and the… 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.