Cessna 152 accident near St. Augustine, Florida, June 18, 2015
On June 18, 2015 at about 6:20 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 152, registered N6553L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near St. Augustine, Florida (Northeast Florida Rgnl 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
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2015 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- St. Augustine, Florida · Northeast Florida Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1980 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6553L · no longer on the register · serial 15284431
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that she and the student were performing practice takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. During the fourth takeoff, at an altitude of about 200 ft above ground level, the engine lost partial power. The instructor took control of the airplane and initiated a left turn to return to the airport. The airplane touched down in a grassy area perpendicular to a taxiway, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane continued across the taxiway, where it came to rest upright and sustained substantial damage. Photographs of the airplane after the accident showed evidence of some fuel spillage on the taxiway; however, the fuel on board at the time of the accident was not quantified. There were no anomalies noted during an engine test run with a replacement carburetor and propeller. Thus, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
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 (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 25, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,676 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Florida Aviation Career Training
The flight
- Departed from: SGJ St. Augustine FL at 5:40 pm
- Destination: SGJ St. Augustine FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from KSGJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 3, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorandum for Record - CFI | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Engine Test Run | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.