Cessna 152 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, April 14, 1995
On April 14, 1995 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4778B, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach Intl. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1995 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach Intl.
- 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
- N4778B · no longer on the register · serial 83629
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT DURING LANDING ATTEMPT HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, ABORTED THE G0-AROUND, AND STRUCK AN AIRPORT SIGN OFF THE RUNWAY.
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: 23 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,010 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1995; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,640 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from PBI
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.