Cessna 152 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, August 26, 1997
On August 26, 1997 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6216Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (North County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight instructor's (CFI's) inaccurate assessment of fuel available for the flight, and his improper in-flight planning/decision by continuing the training flight with minimal fuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1997 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · North County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6216Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial-rated, student pilot stated that they landed the airplane at Orlando Executive Airport to refuel, but found the FBO was closed. He was advised by his instructor (CFI) that he had sufficient fuel for the flight to Palm Beach. They flew to Melbourne International Airport to 'do a touch and go.' While en-route to Palm Beach, the engine lost power, and the CFI took control of the airplane. The CFI declared an emergency due to low fuel, and was vectored to North County Airport, but was unable to reach it. The CFI landed the airplane on a dirt road, and the airplane collided with a mailbox and trees.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,809 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLB Melbourne FL
- Destination: PBI Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.