Cessna 150M accident near Leesburg, Florida, April 8, 2000
On April 8, 2000 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N45618, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Florida (Leesburg Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from objects during the final approach. A factor was downdraft on final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2000 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Florida · Leesburg Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N45618 · no longer on the register · serial 15076992
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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. .
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,470 hours in all; 872 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,002 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1999; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X31 Crystal River FL at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,152 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from LEE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.