Cessna 152 accident near Stuart, Florida, September 3, 1996
On September 3, 1996 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N93102, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stuart, Florida (Stuart-Whitman Field). 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 student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a loss of directional control, collapse of the nose gear, and subsequent nose down on the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1996 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Stuart, Florida · Stuart-Whitman Field · 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
- N93102 · no longer on the register · serial 15285402
- 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 he was landing with a left crosswind. As he came over the end of the runway, the airplane started to float. He elected not to add power. He failed to round out and made a hard landing on the nose wheel. The airplane bounced and he lost directional control. The nose wheel collided with the runway and collapsed. The airplane collided with the ground in a nose down attitude and came to a stop.
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: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1996; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American International
The flight
- Departed from: MLB Melbourne FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: SUA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from FPR, 20 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.
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.