Cessna 152 accident near Gainesville, Florida, November 9, 1988
On November 9, 1988 at about 9:52 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6578B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gainesville, Florida (Gainesville Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- November 9, 1988 · about 9:52 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Florida · Gainesville Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6578B · no longer on the register · serial 15283954
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TAXIED TO RWY 6 & MADE AN ENG RUN-UP. AS HE CALLED THE TWR FOR TKOF, A NAVY P-3 WAS MAKING A LOW APCH TO RWY 10.THE PLT WAS TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 10. ABT 30 SEC LATER, AS HE ARRIVED AT RWY 10, HE WAS CLRD FOR TKOF & WAS CAUTIONED ABT WAKE TURBC FM THE P-3. THE PLT TKOF ON RWY 10 & MNVRD TO AVOID WAKE TURBC. AS THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU ABT 100', IT ROLLED VIOLENTLY TO THE RGT. THE PLT APPLIED CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT THE ACFT DSCNDD & HIT THE RWY BFR HE COULD RCVR. THEAIM & FAA ADZY CIRCULAR 90-23D WARNED OF WAKE TURBC & RCMDD 2 MIN INTERVAL WHEN SMALL ACFT IS DEPG BHND A LARGE ACFT. THE TWR CTLR COMPLIED WITH APPLICABLE ATC DIRECTIVES. PARAGRAPH 3-106I OF ATC HANDBOOK 7110.65F SAID TO 'SEPARATE A SMALL ACFT BHND A LARGE ACFT TAKING OFF OR MAKING A LOW/MISSED APCH WHEN UTILIZING OPPOSITE DRCTN TAKEOFFS ON THE SAME RWY BY 3 MIN UNLESS A PLT HAS INITIATED A REQUEST TO DEVIATE FM THE 3 MIN INTERVAL. IN THE LATTER CASE, ISSUE A WAKE TURBC ADZY BEFORE CLRG THE ACFT FOR TAKEOFF.' HOWEVER, THE HANDBOOK DID NOT ADDRESS TAKEOFFS BHND SAME DRCTN LOW APCHS.
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; 76 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,825 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1988; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gator Air
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from GNV
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.