# NTSB MIA97LA133: Cessna 152, N5442B, La Crosse, FL, April 10, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 10, 1997, 14:20 local (18:20 UTC) - Place: La Crosse, FL - Coordinates: 29.840818, -82.399398 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8408&lon=-82.3994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 2, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38259 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA97LA133 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38259/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA133 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain a visual look out on landing rollout resulting in an on-ground collision with a berm/furrow, and subsequent nose over. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's improper fuel management resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (contributing factor) - fuel consumption calculations - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - berm - visual lookout - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The student pilot experienced a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. The pilot made a forced landing to an open field and collided with berm/furrow on landing rollout and nosed over inverted. Examination of the fuel system revealed to visible sign of odor of fuel. ## Factual narrative On April 10, 1997, about 1420 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5442B, registered to Marathon Flight School, Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed during a forced landing in the vicinity of La Crosse, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The student pilot was not injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Perry-Foley Airport, Perry, Florida, about 2 hours 5 minutes before the accident. The student pilot was on a solo cross-country instructional flight to Gainesville, Florida, and had departed Perry with 12 gallons of fuel on board. During the cross-country flight she flew off course, became disoriented and did not request immediate assistance, and experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot made a forced landing to an open field, collided with furrows/berm, and nosed over. Examination of the aircraft fuel system revealed no visible signs or odor of fuel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5442B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5442B), registered now, S/N 15283870, built 1979 (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: 15283870 - Airframe hours: 8999 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-LZC(M) 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Marathon Flight School - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 4, 1997, 14 hours before - Departed: 40J, PERRY, FL - Destination: GNV, GAINESVILLE, FL - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 53 total, 49 in this make and model, 15 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GNV, 20 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 19970410010089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970410010089A), Apr 10, 1997: Cessna 152, La Crosse, FL, Substantial damage. Student departed minimum fuel on cross country. Got lost. Failed ask help. Ran out of fuel. Nosed over landing. (-23) student pilot was lost on 2nd segment of… ## Other investigations on N5442B (1) 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. - [NTSB CEN23LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA100), Feb 5, 2023: Cessna 152 (N5442B), Denton, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go landing. 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.