Cessna 150L accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 3, 2021
On September 3, 2021 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 150L, registered N65987, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale Exec airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s loss of airplane control during an attempted go around maneuver, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and subsequent impact with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2021 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L, built 1974 · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N65987 · no longer on the register · serial 15075761
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that on the eighth traffic pattern approach, the student pilot maintained a stabilized approach on the centerline and on short final. At 50 ft above the ground, the flight instructor told the student pilot to reduce engine power. Then, he instructed the student to “flare now,” but the student continued the approach in a nose down attitude. As the flight instructor began to take control of the airplane, it impacted the runway “hard” with the main landing gear and bounced. The flight instructor added power in an attempted go around maneuver, however, the airplane “began to stall.” The airplane descended, the right wing struck the runway marker, the nose struck the ground, and resulted in the airplane coming to rest inverted. The rudder and fuselage were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR go-around)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 325 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 5, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 1.6 in this make and model; 1.6 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,002 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from FXE
Weather report (METAR): KFXE 032153Z 25004KT 10SM SCT030 28/22 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP135 T02830217
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 21, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.