Cessna 152 accident near Near Tampa, Florida, July 3, 1983
On July 3, 1983 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N93508, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Tampa, Florida. It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1983 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Near Tampa, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N93508 · no longer on the register · serial 15285503
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT BEFORE THE FLT, HE HAD TAKEN 2 SOMINEX TABLETS, BUT HAD INSOMNIA & COULD NOT SLEEP, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS VERY TIRED. HE STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, HE THOUGHT HE WAS HEADING SOUTHEAST, BUT LATER, HE FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS GOING NORTHEAST. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER & BACKFIRE SO HE LANDED IN A COW PASTURE. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT STRUCK A 3-WIRE, BARBED WIRE FENCE. AFTER LANDING, HE RAN UP THE ENG SEVERAL TIMES & IT OPERATED NORMALLY, SO HE ASSUMED THERE WAS A FUEL BLOCKAGE THAT HAD PASSED. REPORTEDLY, HE CHECKED THE ACFT FOR DAMAGE & THOUGHT IT WAS AIRWORTHY. SO HE TOOK OFF & RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE ARPT. AFTER ARRIVING, HE INADVERTENTLY LANDED ON A PARALLEL TAXIWAY BESIDE RWY 18L. ON THE APCH, THE TOWER TRANSMITTED A WARNING OF THE SITUATION & INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO GO AROUND. THE PLT STATED HE DID NOT HEAR THE TRANSMISSION. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ODOR OF BEER IN THE ACFT & FOUND THE CARPET WAS WET WITH BEER. THE ACFT HAD BEEN DAMAGED DURING THE OFF ARPT LANDING.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 44 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 253 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1983; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from TPA
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.
Other NTSB records under N93508 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.