Cessna 152 accident near St. Augustine, Florida, September 8, 2018
On September 8, 2018 at about 2:45 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 152, registered N6469P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near St. Augustine, Florida. It was a personal 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 partial loss of engine power due to a fractured exhaust valve, which resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain and a subsequent rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2018 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- St. Augustine, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 No Series, built 1981 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6469P · registry record · serial 15285019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a personal, cross-country flight. He reported that, when the airplane was about 12 miles from the departure airport, the engine started running roughly, and the airplane was "violently shaking." He decided to conduct a forced landing in a field, during which the nose landing gear dug into the soft ground, and the airplane flipped over. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve was fractured, and although the head of the exhaust valve was not recovered, the fracture features on the exhaust valve stem were consistent with fatigue. A review of maintenance records revealed that the exhaust valves were installed during an overhaul of the engine about 28 years before the accident. The engine manufacturer recommended that the engine be overhauled every 12 years or 2,400 hours, whichever comes first.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Roll over during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 228 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 159 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 31, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,139.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 2018; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,669 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 8,140 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 28J Palatka FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: OMN Ormond Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KSGJ, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on November 18, 2019. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Memorandum for Record - NTSB Engine Exam | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N6469P 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.