Cessna A150M accident near Crystal River, Florida, December 16, 2002
On December 16, 2002 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna A150M, registered N9852J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal River, Florida (Crystal River 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 application of brakes during the landing rollout, which resulted in a loss of directional control and the airplane running off of the runway, impacting a runway light structure, and nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2002 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida · Crystal River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A150M · all A150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9852J · registry record · serial A150661
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student stated that he had been told by his instructor to make full-stop landings each time, and after an uneventful landing, he attempted to follow procedures as if it had been a touch-and-go landing, and his instructor called on the radio to remind him that it should have been a full stop landing. He said he then closed the throttle, but applied "too much left brake" as he attempted to stop, and the airplane departed the runway, impacted the concrete structure supporting a runway light, and nosed over, incurring damage. Prior to the accident there were no mechanical failure or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
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: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,465 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 8, 2002; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X31 Crystal River FL at 2:00 pm
- Destination: X31
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,555 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.