Cessna 152 accident near La Crosse, Florida, April 10, 1997
On April 10, 1997 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5442B, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Crosse, Florida. 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 failure to maintain a visual look out on landing rollout resulting in an on-ground collision with a berm/furrow, and subsequent nose over. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's improper fuel management resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1997 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- La Crosse, Florida · 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
- N5442B · registry record · serial 15283870
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot experienced a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. The pilot made a forced landing to an open field and collided with berm/furrow on landing rollout and nosed over inverted. Examination of the fuel system revealed to visible sign of odor of fuel.
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: 53 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,999 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 4, 1997; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-LZC(M) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 40J Perry FL at 5:15 pm
- Destination: GNV Gainesville FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from GNV, 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.
Other NTSB records under N5442B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.