Cessna A150L accident near Cocoa Beach, Florida, May 31, 1992
On May 31, 1992 at about 6:33 pm local time, a Cessna A150L, registered N106DM, was destroyed in an accident near Cocoa Beach, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DESCENT INTO THE OCEAN FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1992 · about 6:33 pm local time
- Place
- Cocoa Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A150L · all A150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N106DM · registry record · serial A1500235
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AS INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF AEROBATIC TRAINING. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT 4 MILES OFF SHORE AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET IN AN APPROXIMATE 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE DIVING TOWARD THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING AT HIGH SPEED AND WAS NOT SPINNING. THE UPPER SURFACES OF THE WINGS WERE VISIBLE. ONE WITNESS REPORTED SEEING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A BANNER STREAMING BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT. THREE OTHER WITNESSES DID NOT SEE THIS. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER IN THIS ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS NOT LOCATED OR RECOVERED. THE BODY OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS FOUND NORTH OF THE CRASH SITE ON JUNE 3, 1992 AND THE BODY OF THE STUDENT WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES NORTH ON JUNE 7, 1992. THE INSTRUCTORS PARACHUTE HAD NOT BEEN DEPLOYED WHEN THE BODY WAS FOUND. THE STUDENTS PARACHUTE WAS FOUND DEPLOYED. THE STUDENT HAD SUSTAINED MULTIPLE BLUNT TRAUMATIC INJURIES CONSISTENT WITH HAVING BEEN IN THE AIRCRAFT DURING WATER IMPACT ACCORDING TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,025 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 1,940 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,133 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 6, 1992; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A-48 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Florida Flight Training Uk.Inc
The flight
- Departed from: X65 Rockledge FL at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from COF, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.