# NTSB MIA93FA025: Cessna 152, N5324M, Ocala, FL, December 2, 1992

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 2, 1992, 12:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place: Ocala, FL
- Location: 29.1872° N, 82.1401° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Ocala, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1872&lon=-82.1401&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 28, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 33169
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA93FA025
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/33169/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA93FA025

## Probable cause

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND BECOMING LOST AND DISORIENTED AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - weather condition - low ceiling
  - weather condition - rain
  - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent
  - altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - terrain condition - open field

## Analysis

STUDENT PILOT RECEIVED AN IN-PERSON WEATHER BRIEFING AT THE FAA FSS AT 0919 FOR A VFR CROSS COUNTRY-FLIGHT TO AN ARPT 70 MILES NORTH OF HIS DEPARTURE POINT. VFR CONDITIONS WERE FORECAST ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. AT 1014, THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN BUT DID NOT REQUEST UPDATED WEATHER INFORMATION. AT 1117, THE STUDENT DEPARTED. AT ABOUT 1200, THE STUDENT WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A TOUCH-AND-GO AT THE DEST ARPT AND DEPART TO THE SOUTH. AFTER THIS, SEVERAL WITNESSES OVERHEARD AN UNIDENTIFIED ACFT TALKING ON THE DEST ARPT UNICOM FREQUENCY TO A PILOT WHO WAS LOST IN RAIN SHOWERS. THE LOST PILOT HAD A FOREIGN ACCENT AS DID THE STUDENT IN N5324M. AT 1500, THE WRECKAGE OF N5324M WAS LOCATED NEAR OCALA, FLORIDA, 7 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHEAST OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE ACFT'S HOBBS METER INDICATED THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 1 HOUR SINCE DEPARTURE. THE WEATHER AT OCALA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN RAIN SHOWERS, LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR ENGINE. AFTER THE STUDENT RECEIVED HIS WEATHER BRIEFING AT 0915, AN AREA OF UNFORECAST SHOWERS DEVELOPED TO THE NORTH OF HIS DEST ARPT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5324M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5324M-2013-10-23), registration cancelled 2013-10-23, S/N 15284533, built 1980 (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: 15284533
- Airframe hours: 6806
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 108 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Delta Aircraft Corporation, doing business as National Aviation Academy
- Registered owner: Delta Aircraft Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, October 16, 1992, 68 hours before
- Departed: PIE, CLEARWATER, FL
- Destination: X35, DUNNELLON, FL
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 25; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 51 total, 51 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 350° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 200 ft overcast
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: OCF, 3 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19921202048689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19921202048689A), Dec 2, 1992: Cessna 152, Ocala, FL, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Student continued flight into IMC that was not forecast on weather briefing. Lost control. Wx north of route existed

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.

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