- Date
- September 6, 1983, 18:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Homosassa Sprgs, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7597LCessna A152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830906047169A
- Case key
- 30805
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 acft was first observed making low passes, almost striking trees & power lines. It then continued in a steep bank through about 90 deg of turn, rolled inverted & pitched down simultaneously. The acft impacted the ground in the parkinglot of a convenience store in what was described as a 'straight down nose first' attitude. Toxicological tests revealed alcohol levels of 0.220% blood, 0.229% urine & 2.364% gastric. An unbroken, half full bottle of liquor was removed from the wreckage. On 1/30/83, at 0410, the plt was spotted flying recklessly at a low altitude. Sheriff's deputies, who confronted the plt after landing, stated he smelled of alcohol. He was given a sobriety test which he passed 'approximately average.' On 2/14/83 the FAA sent a letter to the plt stating they were investigating the incident. The investigation was closed on 5/5/83 with no action taken.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7597L
- Reported as
- Cessna A152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- A1520822
- Airframe hours
- 973
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William W. Surrency
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 10, 1983 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- BKV · Brooksville, 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 150 in this make and model · 125 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Observed at
- GNV, 55 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.