Cessna 152 accident near Hilliard, Florida, July 20, 1991
On July 20, 1991 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48380, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hilliard, Florida (Hilliard Airpark 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN VSO, AND INADVERTENT STALL MUSH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1991 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hilliard, Florida · Hilliard Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N48380 · no longer on the register · serial 15283328
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT WAS NOT CLIMBING PROPERLY AND THE LT WING DROPPED. THE ACFT THEN COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND. THE ENG WAS REMOVED AND PLACED ON A TEST STAND FOR AN OPERATIONAL TEST. THE ENG STARTED AND OPERATED TO NEARLY FULL STATIC RPM WITH NO MALFUNCTIONS NOTED. THE ACFT'S FLT CONTROLS WERE EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR AND FOUND TO BE FREE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE STALL WARNING HORN WAS TESTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: 83 hours in all; 57 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,168 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1991; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Shields Aviation
The flight
- Destination: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,150 ft by 125 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:05 pm from JAX, 17 miles away
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.