| Crash location | 25.795000°N, 80.569723°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Tamiami, FL
25.758711°N, 80.398387°W 11.0 miles away |
| Tail number | N6198Q |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 03 May 2018 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 152 |
| Additional details: | None |
On May 3, 2018, about 2241 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N6198Q, collided with terrain about 24 miles west of Tamiami, Florida. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane, which was substantially damaged, was registered to Rob Wes, Inc., and operated by Dean International, Inc., as a personal flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity of the accident site and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight. The flight originated from Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida at an unknown time, with a planned destination of Miami Executive Airport (TBM), Miami, Florida.
According to the owner of Dean International, Inc., the two pilots departed TBM about 1700 the afternoon before the accident flight. Their plan was to fly to the Lakeland area, where they expected good flying weather. They later departed LAL in dark/night conditions after having refueled and subsequently flew into instrument meteorological conditions near the area of the accident site. The owner stated that the pilots lost control of the airplane while in the clouds, entered a spin from which they recovered, then entered another spin. After recovering from the second spin the airplane collided with terrain.
Miami Approach Control was in communication with the pilot when radar and radio contact was lost. A search was initiated which resulted in both pilots being rescued by local authorities.
The wreckage was relocated to a secure facility for further examination.