Cessna 152 accident near Gulf Of Mexico, October 7, 1996
On October 7, 1996 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5525L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gulf Of Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel consumption calculations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1996 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf Of Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5525L · registry record · serial 15284336
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane ran out of fuel approximately 11 miles SSE of Galveston, Texas. The pilot transmitted a 'MAYDAY' radio call to Galveston Airport tower, informing them that he ran out of fuel and was going to ditch near an oil rig. After ditching, both occupants swam to the rig safely. The aircraft sank and has not been recovered. The pilot stated that he departed the airport with full fuel tanks (24.5 gallons usable) at 1200, and flew approximately 100 miles outbound into the Gulf of Mexico on a magnetic course of 147 degrees. At about 1335, after completion of the aerial survey, he proceeded inbound on a 355 degree course for the return to Galveston. In a weather brief prior to his initial departure, the forecast winds were 030 degrees at 25 knots. According to the pilot, the actual winds 'turned out to be a great deal stronger and from a more northerly heading.' Usable fuel was exhausted at approximately 1505, about 10 miles from the shore line. The airplane was airborne for about 3 hours 5 minutes.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 2,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,888 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 5, 1996; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Academy
The flight
- Departed from: GLS Galveston TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: GLS TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.