- Date
- April 16, 1992, 18:51 local (22:51 UTC)
- Place
- Bushnell, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N47343Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920416010299A
- Case key
- 32983
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 pilot-in-command's failure to maintain airspeed (vso) while maneuvering during a forced landing. This resulted in an inadvertent stall, in flight loss of control, and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-in-command's failure to ensure the fuel tank selector was in the on position. This resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial takeoff climb due to fuel starvation.
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 commercial pilot departed on a VFR maintenance flight. VFR conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. Witnesses stated the airplane departed from runway 09 without using all available runway. The airplane became airborne at midfield and climbed to about 100-200 feet AGL when the engine quit. The nose of the airplane was observed to pitch up 10-20 degrees. A witness stated the airplane slowed and the propeller stopped turning. The airplane made a steep left turn estimated in excess of 60 degrees angle of bank. The nose of the airplane pitched down 60 degrees, and the airplane collided with the terrain. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was fatally injured. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed the fuel shutoff valve was in the off position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N47343
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283217
- Airframe hours
- 3,272
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 105 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Wesley T. Herron
- Registered owner
- Land & Sea Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 6, 1991 · 65 hours before
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
- 60
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,990 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORL, 27 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.