Cessna 152 accident near Bunnell, Florida, July 27, 1994
On July 27, 1994 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N68165, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bunnell, Florida. 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
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT. THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS WERE A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1994 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bunnell, Florida
- 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
- N68165 · registry record · serial 15282157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) was demonstrating a forced landing to a student pilot. The CFI entered the maneuver at 1,200 feet agl by reducing the throttle to the idle position, and applying carburetor heat. At 800 feet agl he cleared the engine and began a power recovery at 500 feet agl. When he increased power he noted no response. He reduced throttle to the idle position, increased throttle, reduced throttle to the idle position with negative results. He verified the position of the fuel selector valve and made a forced landing to an open field. On landing rollout the airplane nosed over. Examination of the engine and accessories revealed no evidence of a precrash failure or malfunction. The engine was started and developed power. Review of the icing probability chart indicates serious icing at glide power based on the weather conditions at the accident site.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,135 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 8, 1994; 68 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: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 1:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from DAB, 250 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.