Cessna 152 accident near Woodville, Florida, November 6, 1986
On November 6, 1986 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49083, was destroyed in an accident near Woodville, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 6, 1986 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Woodville, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N49083 · no longer on the register · serial 15281140
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PLT HAD RECEIVED HIS CERTIFICATE TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS RECEIVING STAGE THREE RADAR SERVICE WHEN IT ADVISED THAT IT WAS IN THE CLOUDS AND WAS TURNING AROUND. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST MOMENTS LATER AND THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. WITNESSES IN THE AREA DESCRIBED THE NIGHT AS VERY DARK WITH CLOUDS AND FOG EXTENDING FROM THE TREE TOPS TO ABOUT 2000 FT AGL. THE WEATHER DATA LISTED ABOVE IS FROM AN OBSERVATION TAKEN AT TALLAHASSEE, FL, APRX 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.
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: 63 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 22 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,769 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 6, 1986; 1 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: TLH Tallahassee FL at 10:58 pm
- Destination: CDK Cedar Key FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from TLH, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.