Cessna 152 accident near Hollywood, Florida, August 8, 2019
On August 8, 2019 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 152, registered N65401, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hollywood, Florida (North Perry 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 improper decision to turn off the runway while the airplane was moving too fast after landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a taxiway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2019 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Florida · North Perry · 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 1978 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N65401 · registry record · serial 15281529
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, during the landing roll, she applied the brakes and pulled back on the yoke, but the airplane was traveling too fast to turn off at the taxi intersection she normally used. She became confused about where to turn off the runway, turned left toward the next taxiway intersection too fast, and the airplane exited the runway to the left and struck a taxiway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,321.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 26, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-I2C (piston); 6,465 hours total
- Operator: American Flight Training LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Hollywood FL at 12:00 pm
- Destination: HWO Hollywood FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 3,255 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 1:33 pm from KHWO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 23, 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | 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.
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.