Cessna 152 and Cessna C-140A mid-air collision near Clearwater, Florida, February 12, 2000
On February 12, 2000 at about 7:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 152 (N757XF) and Cessna C-140A (N5339C), were involved in a mid-air collision near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Airpark airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The of other aircraft pilot's failure to maintain proper visual look out during flight operations under Visual Flight Rules.
The pilot's failure to maintain visual lookout during flight operations under Visual Flight Rules. A factor is that the pilot was not on the airport radio frequency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2000 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Airpark
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757XF · no longer on the register · serial 15280080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna C-140A
- Registration
- N5339C · no longer on the register · serial 15459
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to eyewitnesses, the Cessna 152 had landed on runway 16, and was about 1500 feet down the runway when the Cessna 140A landed on top of the Cessna 152, striking the vertical stabilizer and collapsing the right main gear. The Cessna 140A came to rest on its nose. There were wrinkles in the empennage and firewall of the Cessna 140A.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna C-140A final · quoted from the NTSB record
The narrative is the same as ATL-00-LA-025A
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 604 hours in all; 170 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 554 as pilot in command; 145 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,541 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 2, 2000; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLW at 5:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from PIE, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna C-140A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,712 hours in all; 3,011 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLW at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.