Cessna 152 accident near Osprey, Florida, January 21, 1994
On January 21, 1994 at about 1:18 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N68411, was substantially damaged in an accident near Osprey, Florida (Sarasota /Bradenton Int'L airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1994 · about 1:18 am local time
- Place
- Osprey, Florida · Sarasota /Bradenton Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N68411 · no longer on the register · serial 15282286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT WHILE ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING JUST OFFSHORE DUE TO OBSTRUCTIONS ON THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN LOCATION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,047 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 236 in the last 90 days; 95 in the last 30 days; 2,912 as pilot in command; 2,446 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,145 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 22, 1993; 51 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: VNC Venice FL at 1:08 am
- Destination: SPG St. Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 am from SRQ, 8 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.