What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
1) On July 16, 2022, between the times of 0810-0822 (l), the pilot of an aircraft with the registration of privacy data omitted made a straight in approach and landing to runway 5 at Okeechobee County Airport, Florida (kobe).
2) The pilot of privacy data omitted was following other aircraft in a group 5 that were lined up to land on runway 5 before the runway was scheduled to close. There was a NOTAM issued for runway 5 at kobe to be closed at 0830 (l).
3) Aircraft privacy data omitted is a homebulit M-1 aircraft. It is a low wing single seat airplane with a conventional landing gear configuration.
4) On very short final privacy data omitted struck the upper portion of a closed runway marker (the "x") breaking that part off. The pilot was able to land the aircraft on runway 5. According to virtower airport operations tracking N150MM landed at 0821 (l) and was on the apron at 0822 (l). The ADS-B tracker marks the end of the operation at 0822 (l).
5) The runway construction company scheduled to work on runway 5 starting at 0830 had placed the marker in the grass right in front of the runway 5 threshold at about 0810 (l). It was erected to a height of approximately 14 feet and was reported by pilots to be unlit.
6) The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft and there were no injuries.
7) The 1215Z METAR reported the weather at kobe as: 04004KT 10SM clr 26/26 A3004.
8) The construction company said they had permission to put the "x" marker where it was placed but did know who gave that permission.
9) The pilots in the group that were landing on runway 5 around the same time described their visual of the upper portions of the "x" marker as only visible on very short final, only saw it as they flew over it, or didn't see it.
10) The pilots in the group stated that there was no mention of a marker (or obstacle) positioned the grass in front of runway 5 on the kobe CTAF during the initial call for advisories or by the pilots that were able to avoid the obstacle.
Note: one other aircraft struck the "x" marker slightly prior to privacy data omittedwhich cause minor damage to the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
1) ON JULY 16, 2022, BETWEEN THE TIMES OF 0810-0822 (L), THE PILOT OF AN AIRCRAFT WITH THE REGISTRATION OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MADE A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH AND LANDING TO RUNWAY 5 AT OKEECHOBEE COUNTY AIRPORT, FLORIDA (KOBE).
2) THE PILOT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FOLLOWING OTHER AIRCRAFT IN A GROUP 5 THAT WERE LINED UP TO LAND ON RUNWAY 5 BEFORE THE RUNWAY WAS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE. THERE WAS A NOTAM ISSUED FOR RUNWAY 5 AT KOBE TO BE CLOSED AT 0830 (L).
3) AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IS A HOMEBULIT M-1 AIRCRAFT. IT IS A LOW WING SINGLE SEAT AIRPLANE WITH A CONVENTIONAL LANDING GEAR CONFIGURATION.
4) ON VERY SHORT FINAL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STRUCK THE UPPER PORTION OF A CLOSED RUNWAY MARKER (THE "X") BREAKING THAT PART OFF. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY 5. ACCORDING TO VIRTOWER AIRPORT OPERATIONS TRACKING N150MM LANDED AT 0821 (L) AND WAS ON THE APRON AT 0822 (L). THE ADS-B TRACKER MARKS THE END OF THE OPERATION AT 0822 (L).
5) THE RUNWAY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SCHEDULED TO WORK ON RUNWAY 5 STARTING AT 0830 HAD PLACED THE MARKER IN THE GRASS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE RUNWAY 5 THRESHOLD AT ABOUT 0810 (L). IT WAS ERECTED TO A HEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 14 FEET AND WAS REPORTED BY PILOTS TO BE UNLIT.
6) THE IMPACT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
7) THE 1215Z METAR REPORTED THE WEATHER AT KOBE AS: 04004KT 10SM CLR 26/26 A3004.
8) THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SAID THEY HAD PERMISSION TO PUT THE "X" MARKER WHERE IT WAS PLACED BUT DID KNOW WHO GAVE THAT PERMISSION.
9) THE PILOTS IN THE GROUP THAT WERE LANDING ON RUNWAY 5 AROUND THE SAME TIME DESCRIBED THEIR VISUAL OF THE UPPER PORTIONS OF THE "X" MARKER AS ONLY VISIBLE ON VERY SHORT FINAL, ONLY SAW IT AS THEY FLEW OVER IT, OR DIDN'T SEE IT.
10) THE PILOTS IN THE GROUP STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF A MARKER (OR OBSTACLE) POSITIONED THE GRASS IN FRONT OF RUNWAY 5 ON THE KOBE CTAF DURING THE INITIAL CALL FOR ADVISORIES OR BY THE PILOTS THAT WERE ABLE TO AVOID THE OBSTACLE.
NOTE: ONE OTHER AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE "X" MARKER SLIGHTLY PRIOR TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^WHICH CAUSE MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N150MM · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.