Cessna 152 accident near Immokalee, Florida, June 16, 2016
On June 16, 2016 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 152, registered N4918H, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Immokalee, Florida (Immokalee Rgnl 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2016 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Immokalee, Florida · Immokalee Rgnl · 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 1979 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4918H · registry record · serial 15284020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that while on a solo cross country flight, after he landed at his destination, the weather degraded. He reported that he called his flight instructor and the flight instructor told him to wait out the weather. About three hours later, his flight instructor called him to check on the weather conditions. The student pilot reported that he checked the local weather reporting station, "but everything [was] missing" (referring to the weather information). His flight instructor told him to "get back and check the weather and I'll call you back". The student pilot interpreted that as "[it's] ok to takeoff". During the takeoff roll the airplane veered off the runway to the left and impacted a ditch. The flight school President reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from a weather observation station located about 1.6 miles to the northeast, revealed that, about the time of the accident the wind was 360 degrees true at 3 knots. The airplane departed on runway 36.
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 takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 22, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,676 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 14,861 hours total
- Operator: Dean International Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: IMM Immokalee FL at 6:50 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KRSW, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 6, 2017. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident 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.
Other NTSB records under N4918H 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.