Cessna 152 accident near Miami, Florida, June 16, 2012
On June 16, 2012 at about 4:40 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67324, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Miami, Florida (Kendall-Tamiami Executive 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 pilots’ operation of the airplane with an insufficient supply of engine oil, resulting in engine seizure and total 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
- June 16, 2012 · about 4:40 am local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Kendall-Tamiami Executive · 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
- N67324 · registry record · serial 15281755
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student and flight instructor reported that, during their preflight inspection, 4.5 quarts of oil was in the engine and the fuel tanks were full. Another quart of oil was added to the engine, and the flight departed. About 1 hour 40 minutes into the flight, the engine began to run rough. The engine subsequently stopped running and attempts to restart it were unsuccessful. The flight instructor force landed the airplane in a field, and it nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings. During the recovery of the wreckage, the fuel tanks were drained, and each tank contained about 1 quart of fuel. There was no oil or fuel on the ground under the wreckage. The oil dipstick showed no oil on the stick. About 1 1/3 quarts of oil were drained from the engine. According to the engine manufacturer, the minimum safe quantity of oil in the sump is 2 quarts. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of an oil leak anywhere on the engine or airframe. The engine showed evidence of seizure due to a lack of lubrication. The engine oil and filter were reportedly changed during a 100-hour inspection that occurred 3 days before the accident. Although the crewmembers reported that they departed with sufficient oil and fuel, the physical evidence does not support that assertion; the lack of lubrication led to the loss of engine power.
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 engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Not serviced/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Flight crew
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, 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: 1,685 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 96 in the last 30 days; 1,506 as pilot in command; 1,405 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 14, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Flight time: 203 hours in all; 196 in this make and model; 158 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 138 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,144 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 13, 2012; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dean International Flight School
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Myers FL at 3:00 am
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 09L, 5,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 am from TMB, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N67324 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.