N5525L

On October 7, 1996, at 1515 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N5525L, privately owned, and operated by a flight academy, sustained substantial damage after ditching in the Gulf of Mexico near Galveston, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot and one passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 aerial observation flight that originated at 1156 from Galveston Municipal Airport (Scholes Field), Galveston, Texas. A VFR flight plan was filed.

According to a report from the FAA and the United States Coast Guard Operations Center, Galveston, Texas, the airplane ran out of fuel approximately 11 miles south/southeast of Galveston, Texas. The pilot transmitted a "MAYDAY" radio call to Galveston Airport tower, informing them that he ran out of fuel and was going to ditch near an oil rig. After ditching, both occupants swam to the rig safely. The aircraft sank in the Gulf of Mexico, and has not been recovered.

In an interview with the investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that he departed the airport with full fuel tanks (24.5 gallons usable) at 1200, and flew approximately 100 miles outbound into the Gulf on a magnetic course of 147 degrees. At about 1335, after completion of the aerial survey, he proceeded inbound on a 355 degree course for the return to Galveston. In a weather brief prior to his initial departure, the forecast winds were 030 degrees at 25 knots. According to the pilot, the actual winds "turned out to be a great deal stronger and from a more northerly heading." Usable fuel was exhausted approximately 1505, about 10 miles from the shore line. The airplane was airborne for about 3 hours, 5 minutes.