- Date
- June 29, 2005, 20:30 local (Jun 30, 2005, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Williston, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5372LCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20050629013769A
- Case key
- 61846
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The inadequate weather evaluation by the pilot-in-command which resulted in the in-flight encounter with rain and thunder that resulted in a precautionary landing and subsequent on-ground collision with a ditch.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that while en route after passing the Cross City VOR, he and the pilot-rated-passenger determined it was time to refuel. When the flight was between Bronson and Williston, the weather conditions started to deteriorate which necessitated him to perform a "forced" landing. He performed a low pass over a field to check for objects or obstacles, and after landing, he applied the brakes but the airplane wanted to "…turn harshly, so I didn't use any to keep the plane from flipping." He first recognized a barbed wire fence when the airplane was on the ground, and approximately 30 feet before it. The propeller and landing gear contacted the barbwire fence, but the damage to the airplane occurred during the on-ground collision with a ditch.
Factual narrative
On July 29, 2005, about 2030 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5372L, registered to MC2L, Inc., and operated by Air America Flight Center, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing in a field near Williston, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from Jack Edwards Airport, Gulf Shores, Alabama, to Daytona Beach International Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida. The private-rated pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight originated about 1830, from Jack Edwards Airport.
The pilot stated that while en route after passing the Cross City VOR, he and the pilot rated passenger determined it was time to refuel. When the flight was between Bronson and Williston, the weather conditions started to deteriorate which necessitated him to perform a "forced" landing. He performed a low pass over a field to check for objects or obstacles, and after landing, he applied the brakes but the airplane wanted to "…turn harshly, so I didn't use any to keep the plane from flipping." He first recognized a barbed wire fence when the airplane was on the ground, and approximately 30 feet before it. The propeller and landing gear contacted the barbwire fence, but the damage to the airplane occurred during the on-ground collision with a ditch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5372L
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15284304
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Air America Flight Center
- Registered owner
- MC2L, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- KJKA · Gulf Shores, AL
- Destination
- KDAB · Daytona Beach, FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 19
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2005
- Flight hours
- 195 total · 80 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 19
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2005
- Flight hours
- 98 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.