Cessna 152 accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, May 24, 1989
On May 24, 1989 at about 5:09 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N714UQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida (St Lucie County Intl airport). 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
FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS (SMOKE & HAZE), THE STUDENT BECOMING LOST, HER LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE, AND HER INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND ATC INSTRUCTIONS AFTER SHE BECAME LOST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1989 · about 5:09 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · St Lucie County Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N714UQ · no longer on the register · serial 15279447
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A JAPANESE NATIONAL/STUDENT PLT BECAME LOST ON HER 1ST FLT OUTSIDE THE ARPT TRAFFIC AREA. TOWER & APCH CONTROL PERSONNEL ATTEMPTED TO IDENTIFY THE ACFT ON RADAR, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PLT FLEW NORTHBOUND UNTIL THE ACFT FLEW OVER AN ARPT, THEN SHE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND. AS SHE CONTINUED IN THE PATTERN, SHE SAW ANOTHER ACFT AHEAD ON A SHORT FINAL APCH. SHE MADE A 360 DEG TURN THEN CONTD THE APCH. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO LAND BEHIND THE OTHER ACFT, THE STUDENT'S ACFT STALLED, ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED AT MIDFIELD, ABOUT 250 FT LEFT OF THE RWY. NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS RPRTD. THE STUDENT RPRTD THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN LOST AFTER ENCOUNTERINGSMOKE & HAZE. THE SMOKE WAS CAUSED BY AN EVERGLADE'S FIRE. THE STUDENT DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH WELL & HAD DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH ATC PERSONNEL AFTER BECOMING LOST.
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: 69 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,214 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1988; 84 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: HWO Hollywood FL at 3:01 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:13 pm from FPR
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.