Cessna 172P accident near Jay, Florida, September 3, 2003
On September 3, 2003 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52615, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jay, Florida (Jay Airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
**This case was modified on 2/18/2016. Refer to the public docket for this accident to view the changes.** Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2003 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Jay, Florida · Jay Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52615 · no longer on the register · serial 17274564
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This case was modified on 2/18/2016. Refer to the public docket for this accident to view the changes.** The pilot stated that he was flying an aerial observation mission in a lefthand circular pattern about 500 feet above ground level with a passenger/observer in the backseat when the engine lost power when he attempted to climb out of turbulence. He stated that he thought the turbulence was caused by prop wash from a previous turn. He rolled wings level and added full power to climb out of it, but the engine did not respond to the power setting. The airplane "settled" and went down in an area of pine trees. The passenger/observer stated that he looked up front to see the pilot "fighting with the controls" before impact. The passenger/observer and the pilot stated that they could smell fuel leaking from the airplane. Several responders stated that they did not smell the odor of fuel at the crash site and saw no fuel leaks. One first responder stated that he did smell fuel but could not locate its origin. An examination conducted by the engine and airplane manufacturers determined that the fuel tanks were intact with no breaches. Inspection of the fuel system determined fuel line continuity. Small amounts of fuel were drained from the tanks. However, photographs taken by sheriff's department detectives showed a large blue fuel stain on the right wing from the tank filler cap to the wing leading edge. The airplane had been in an extreme nose-low position for approximately 42 hours before investigators drained the fuel tanks. The Pilot's Information Manual states that the airplane has a usable fuel capacity of 40 gallons. Airplane flight logs indicated that the airplane's fuel endurance was about 7.98 gallons per hour. Fueling and flight records indicated the airplane had flown 2.2 hours before the accident and after being topped off with 15.93 gallons on August 29, which was the last time it was flown before the accident flight.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 6,862 hours in all; 1,952 in this make and model; 143 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 4,335 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Other crew
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,619 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 21, 2002; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 16FL Jay FL at 5:15 pm
- Destination: 16FL Jay FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 360, 2,400 ft by 135 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KNSE, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.