Cessna 152 accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida, February 15, 1986
On February 15, 1986 at about 2:53 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N772WA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 15, 1986 · about 2:53 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Pierce, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N772WA · no longer on the register · serial 15280640
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS CRUISING AT 2000 FT WITH THE MIXTURE LEANED FOR CRUISE. A DESCENT TO 1000 FT WAS MADE BY REDUCING POWER. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND MAX RPM AVAILABLE WAS 1700. THE PLT SAID HE PUMPED THE THROTTLE SEVERAL TIMES BUT DID NOT SELECT CARBURETOR HEAT & HE DOES NOT RECALL WHETHER HE HAD REPOSITIONED THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO A RICHER SETTING PRIOR TO HIS DECISION TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING. A DIRT ROAD WAS SELECTED & DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE, A X-WIND BLEW THE ACFT FROM THE ROAD INTO THE TREES. A POST ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE ENGINE & RELATED SYST REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST ANY FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: 48 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,104 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 31, 1985; 56 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: TMB Miami FL
- Destination: VRB Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 am from VRB, 8 miles away
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.