Cessna 152K accident near Okeechobee, Florida, April 14, 2008
On April 14, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152K, registered N67334, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Okeechobee, Florida (Okeechobee County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel contamination, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · Okeechobee County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152K · all 152Ks on the register
- Registration
- N67334 · no longer on the register · serial 15281762
- 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 she departed on a cross-country flight with the intent of stopping at several airports along the way. She did a touch-and-go landing at one airport, and made a full stop landing at the next airport. The airplane was serviced with 6 gallons of fuel, and the pilot departed for her original airport. About 10 minutes after taking off, the engine lost power. The pilot followed the published emergency procedures, and attempted two unsuccessful restarts of the engine while searching for a forced landing area. She landed the airplane on a road, but it nosed over and came to rest in the inverted position resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no obvious mechanical deficiencies with the engine. The inspector also saw that the gascolator contained a significant amount of water. In an interview with the inspector, the pilot stated that she drained the fuel tank sumps before her first flight, but did not do so before the accident flight. She also stated she did not drain the gascolator prior to the accident flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Nose over/nose down during landing
- Fuel contamination during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Inadequate inspection
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 20 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,507 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orlando Flight Training, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: OBE Okeechobee FL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: ISM Kissimmee FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from OBE, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N67334 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.