Cessna 152 accident near Opa-Locka, Florida, December 18, 1994
On December 18, 1994 at about 2:36 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N89515, was substantially damaged in an accident near Opa-Locka, Florida (Opa-Locka airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOTS FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST AND ASSURE THE DOOR WAS CLOSED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE STUDENT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 1994 · about 2:36 pm local time
- Place
- Opa-Locka, Florida · Opa-Locka · 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
- N89515 · registry record · serial 82766
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT INITIATED HIS FIRST SOLO TAKEOFF ROLL AND NOTED THE RIGHT DOOR WAS AJAR. HE CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE DOOR. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE GROUND AND IT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST IN A CANAL.
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: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,440 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1994; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9L, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:36 pm from OPF
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA95LA041.