Cessna 152 accident near Merritt Island, Florida, September 15, 2009
On September 15, 2009 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N93772, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilots failure to maintain directional control after landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2009 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N93772 · no longer on the register · serial 15285549
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he was conducting his second solo flight, performing full stop landings and taxiing back. After his third landing, he applied both brakes to slow the airplane. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The student pilot later stated that the brakes did not work properly. Postaccident examination of the brake system by an airframe and power plant (A&P) mechanic with oversight from a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found the brake system to be fully functional. All components of the brake system were within operational limits, and there was no evidence of any malfunction or failure prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 42 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,158 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 23, 2009; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COI Merritt Island FL at 2:50 pm
- Destination: COI Merritt Island FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,601 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from KCOF, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.