Cessna 152 accident near Punta Gorda, Florida, February 20, 1993
On February 20, 1993 at about 2:10 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5394M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Punta Gorda, Florida (Charlotte County airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT WHILE TAXIING INTO THE PARKING AREA, RESULTING IN AN ON-GROUND COLLISION WITH A LIGHT POLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1993 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Punta Gorda, Florida · Charlotte County · 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
- N5394M · no longer on the register · serial 15284578
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS TAXIING FOR PARKING ON THE RAMP AT NIGHT WITH A LINEMAN AS A GROUND GUIDE. THE PILOT OBSERVED A LIGHT POLE TO HIS LEFT, BUT CONTINUED TAXIING THE AIRPLANE FORWARD WITH THE LINEMAN LOCATED TO HIS RIGHT. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE LIGHT POLE.
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; 83 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,750 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1993; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Comair Aviation Academy, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N5394M 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.