Cessna 152 accident near Orlando, Florida, January 26, 1989
On January 26, 1989 at about 9:27 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48799, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive airport). It was an instructional 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FLARE FOR LANDING AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 1989 · about 9:27 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive · map
- 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
- N48799 · no longer on the register · serial 15280970
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT FAILED TO FLARE THE ACFT FOR LANDING. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE ACFT BOUNCED, TOUCHED DOWN, BOUNCED AGAIN, THEN DRIFTED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN TOUCHED DOWN ON THE GRASS & NOSED OVER.
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: 51 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,880 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 18, 1989; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airline Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: OCF Ocala FL at 8:47 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from ORL
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.