Cessna 152 N47009

Summary

On 21 September 1989 at about 02:00 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N47009 was involved in an accident near Ochopee, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 September 1989 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Ochopee, Florida, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N47009

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hollywood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA89FA252

2 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE OVER THE TERRAIN. RELATED FACTORS WERE: DARK NIGHT, SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT, AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION (NIGHT FLYING).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT HAD RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PLT CERTIFICATE 5 DAYS EARLIER. HE TOOK OFF WITH A FRIEND AT NIGHT FOR A FLT OVER THE EVERGLADES. WHEN OPERATIONS PERSONNEL REALIZED THE ACFT HAD NOT RETURNED, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. ON 9/22/89, THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED IN THE EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN, LEFT BANK ATTITUDE. IT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DRG IMPACT & THE MAIN WRECKAGE TRAVELED ABOUT 120 YDS BEFORE COMING TO REST. BOTH PROP BLADES WERE CURLED & CONTAINED CHORDWISE SCRATCHES. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE PLT HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 4.2 HRS OF NIGHT TIME.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.