- Date
- April 8, 2000, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Leesburg, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N45618Cessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000408009989A
- Case key
- 48905
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from objects during the final approach. A factor was downdraft on final approach.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After takeoff, the enroute flight was normal, but while on final approach to land on runway 21, the flight encountered turbulence. The pilot stated that as he approached the runway threshold, an unexpected severe down draft 'sucked' him down. He stated that the nose gear collided with a jet blast deflector at the approach end of the runway and the airplane subsequently collided with the runway. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot. According to an eyewitness, the airplane appeared to be low on approach. The witness stated that the nose gear collided with the concrete blast fence and then the airplane collided with the runway in a nose low attitude and slid to a stop. The witness stated that it was windy with strong gusts at the time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The winds were from 230 degrees magnetic heading at 9 knots with gusts up to 14 knots. .
Factual narrative
On April 8, 2000, at 1300 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N45618, collided with a jet blast deflection fence on final approach to runway 21, at the Leesburg Municipal Airport in Leesburg, Florida. The airplane was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local pleasure flight. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane departed Crystal River, Florida, at 1230.
According to the pilot, after takeoff from Crystal River the enroute flight was normal, but while on final approach to land on runway 21, the flight encountered turbulence. He stated that as he approached the runway threshold an unexpected severe down draft "sucked" him down. He stated that the nose gear collided with a jet blast deflector at the approach end of the runway and the airplane subsequently collided with the runway. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.
According to an eyewitness, the airplane appeared to be low on approach. The witness stated that the nose gear collided with the concrete blast fence and then the airplane collided with the runway in a nose low attitude and slid to a stop. The witness stated that it was windy with strong gusts at the time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The winds were from 230 degrees magnetic heading at 9 knots with gusts up to 14 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45618
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15076992
- Airframe hours
- 2,002
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Paul Everett Gosney
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 8, 1999 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- X31 · Crystal River, FL
- Airport
- LEE · Leesburg Municipal, runway 21, 4,152 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 75
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,470 total · 872 in this make and model · 1,470 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LEE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.