Cessna 152 accident near Everglades City, Florida, January 2, 1998
On January 2, 1998 at about 6:54 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757VT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Everglades City, Florida (Everglades Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to properly flare the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing and overload failure of the nose gear. The unfavorable wind conditions were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1998 · about 6:54 pm local time
- Place
- Everglades City, Florida · Everglades Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757VT · no longer on the register · serial 15280044
- 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 during the approach phase, there was a moderate crosswind (approximately 10 knots) from the east. He corrected for the crosswind by banking the aircraft into the wind. He further stated, that shortly before the runway threshold, a gust of wind from the west raised the aircraft's wing. He tried to take corrective action using rudder and aileron. The aircraft banked to the right, and the pilot tried to pull up as the aircraft went into a nose down attitude. The pilot was not able to fully recover from the sudden change in the aircraft's attitude. As a result of this, the aircraft hit the ground with the nosewheel, and the nosewheel separated from the aircraft. The propeller, and later the cowling, hit the runway. According to the airport manager, the pilot had called on the UNICOM frequency and asked for current weather. The airport manager advised the pilot of a '15 to 20 knot crosswind,' based on his observation of the airport windsock.
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: 193 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 128 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,841 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1997; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OMN Ormond Beach FL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: X01
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 pm from APF, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.