Cessna 140 accident near Holt, Florida, July 10, 1996
On July 10, 1996 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2102N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holt, Florida (Yellow River Valley 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
Loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s) during a go-around, which result in the aircraft being unable to climb above trees at the departure end of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1996 · about 12:40 pm local time · cases in 1996
- Place
- Holt, Florida · Yellow River Valley · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2102N · registry record · serial 12338
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the approach to landing was high, and he initiated a go-around. He applied full engine power, turned off the carburetor heat, and raised the flaps. The engine developed enough power to begin a climb, but the pilot noticed it was running rough. The engine roughness got worse, and engine power decreased. Subsequently, the airplane would no longer climb, and it collided with trees on the departure end of the runway, then crashed to the ground. Postcrash examination of the engine did not reveal any reason for loss of power.
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: 169 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 129 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 1996; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,460 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FL17 Niceville FL at 12:25 pm
- Destination: FD93
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,550 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from CEW, 12 miles away
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 N2102N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2102N on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 140 1,839 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D 45 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Yellow River Airstrip Airport · nearest airport
- Ruckel Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 988 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,702 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2102N 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA96LA178.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.