Cessna 152 accident near Palmetto, Florida, December 16, 1990
On December 16, 1990 at about 7:24 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67334, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmetto, Florida (Manatee County 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
POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT DUE TO HIS FAILURE TO PURCHASE FUEL BEFORE DEPARTURE RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INACCURATE FUEL GAUGES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1990 · about 7:24 pm local time
- Place
- Palmetto, Florida · Manatee County
- 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
- N67334 · no longer on the register · serial 152-81762
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING NORMAL CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS NOT TOLD TO PURCHASE FUEL. THE MANAGER OF THE FLIGHT SCHOOL DENIED THIS. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS WERE NOT INDICATING EMPTY WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT.
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; 40 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 22 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (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
The flight
- Departed from: OBE Okeechobee FL at 6:25 pm
- Destination: CLW Clearwater FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:46 pm from SRQ, 14 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N67334 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.