Cessna 152 accident near Lakeland, Florida, July 17, 1990
On July 17, 1990 at about 1:42 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67516, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Regional 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
THE IMPROPER USE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1990 · about 1:42 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Regional · 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
- N67516 · registry record · serial 15281884
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT APPROACHED FROM THE NORTH ON THE BASE LEG TO RWY 9 WHEN THE STUDENT PLT STATED HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT & MIXTURE RICH. THE FLT TURNED FINAL & AFTER ADDING POWER, THE ENG DID NOT RESPOND. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES SHORT OF THE RWY THEN DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. THE ENG WAS RUN AFTER THE ACCIDENT & OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CARBURETOR HEAT SYSTEM WAS CHECKED & OPERATED NORMALLY. ACCORDING TO THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE FLT SCHOOL WHO FLEW WITH THE STUDENT, THE STUDENT STATED HE WAS NOT AWARE THAT CARB HEAT SHOULD BE APPLIED WHEN THE ENG RPM IS BELOW THE GREEN ARC. ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CHART, CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER WITH A FLOAT TYPE CARBURETOR.
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: 39 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Flight Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 12:40 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:45 pm from LAL
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.