Cessna 152 accident near Cape Coral, Florida, August 1, 1997
On August 1, 1997 at about 12:02 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N93011, was destroyed in an accident near Cape Coral, 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
Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons resulting in a forced landing to unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1997 · about 12:02 pm local time
- Place
- Cape Coral, 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
- N93011 · no longer on the register · serial 15285376
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was in cruise flight between 1,000 feet to 1,200 feet when he experienced a partial loss of engine power followed by a total loss of engine power. He made a forced landing to the only available forced landing area which was nonsuitable. The airplane collided with wires and terrain and a postcrash fire ensued. Examination of the airframe and flight controls revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. Disassembly of the engine assembly revealed no precrash anomalies or discrepancies that would indicate the engine was not capable of running and producing power before the accident.
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: 24 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,816 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1997; 450 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Myers FL at 11:20 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:08 pm from FMY, 5 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.