What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 1, 2026 at about 1645 eastern standard time a Cessna 150L, crashed while departing River Acres airport (FD70) located in Okeechobee, Florida. The pilot was the sole occupant departing VFR with the intended destination of treasure coast international airport (kfpr). The winds were from the east at approximately 10 KTS with occasional gusts at higher speed. The pilot stated “he was departing rwy 15 at FD70 using full power with back pressure on the yoke to lift the nose, staying light on the mains with the intention to enter ground effect and then accelerate to vy. Upon entering ground effect, the aircraft drifted off the runway making contact with the brush/trees. The aircraft spun around to a complete stop with the engine power off.” the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The engine broke free from the fuselage upper mounts and rotated downward. The entire tail section was bent behind the rear baggage area. No injuries were reported.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 1, 2026 AT ABOUT 1645 EASTERN STANDARD TIME A CESSNA 150L, CRASHED WHILE DEPARTING RIVER ACRES AIRPORT (FD70) LOCATED IN OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT DEPARTING VFR WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF TREASURE COAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KFPR). THE WINDS WERE FROM THE EAST AT APPROXIMATELY 10 KTS WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS AT HIGHER SPEED. THE PILOT STATED “HE WAS DEPARTING RWY 15 AT FD70 USING FULL POWER WITH BACK PRESSURE ON THE YOKE TO LIFT THE NOSE, STAYING LIGHT ON THE MAINS WITH THE INTENTION TO ENTER GROUND EFFECT AND THEN ACCELERATE TO VY. UPON ENTERING GROUND EFFECT, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY MAKING CONTACT WITH THE BRUSH/TREES. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH THE ENGINE POWER OFF.” THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE ENGINE BROKE FREE FROM THE FUSELAGE UPPER MOUNTS AND ROTATED DOWNWARD. THE ENTIRE TAIL SECTION WAS BENT BEHIND THE REAR BAGGAGE AREA. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.