Cessna 152 accident near Ocala, Florida, December 2, 1992
On December 2, 1992 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5324M, was destroyed in an accident near Ocala, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND BECOMING LOST AND DISORIENTED AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1992 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5324M · no longer on the register · serial 15284533
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
STUDENT PILOT RECEIVED AN IN-PERSON WEATHER BRIEFING AT THE FAA FSS AT 0919 FOR A VFR CROSS COUNTRY-FLIGHT TO AN ARPT 70 MILES NORTH OF HIS DEPARTURE POINT. VFR CONDITIONS WERE FORECAST ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. AT 1014, THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN BUT DID NOT REQUEST UPDATED WEATHER INFORMATION. AT 1117, THE STUDENT DEPARTED. AT ABOUT 1200, THE STUDENT WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A TOUCH-AND-GO AT THE DEST ARPT AND DEPART TO THE SOUTH. AFTER THIS, SEVERAL WITNESSES OVERHEARD AN UNIDENTIFIED ACFT TALKING ON THE DEST ARPT UNICOM FREQUENCY TO A PILOT WHO WAS LOST IN RAIN SHOWERS. THE LOST PILOT HAD A FOREIGN ACCENT AS DID THE STUDENT IN N5324M. AT 1500, THE WRECKAGE OF N5324M WAS LOCATED NEAR OCALA, FLORIDA, 7 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHEAST OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE ACFT'S HOBBS METER INDICATED THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 1 HOUR SINCE DEPARTURE. THE WEATHER AT OCALA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN RAIN SHOWERS, LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR ENGINE. AFTER THE STUDENT RECEIVED HIS WEATHER BRIEFING AT 0915, AN AREA OF UNFORECAST SHOWERS DEVELOPED TO THE NORTH OF HIS DEST ARPT.
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; 50 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,806 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1992; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Aircraft Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: PIE Clearwater FL at 4:17 pm
- Destination: X35 Dunnellon FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:14 pm from OCF, 3 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.
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.