Cessna 150 accident near Parkland, Florida, February 5, 2024
On February 5, 2024 at about 8:35 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 150, registered N3747J, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Parkland, Florida. It was a personal 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
A catastrophic engine failure due to oil starvation to the main bearings for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2024 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Parkland, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 G, built 1967 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N3747J · registry record · serial 15065047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, shortly after takeoff and at an altitude of 2,000 ft, the engine was not producing full power. The pilot checked the airplane’s configuration and settings and then made a 180° turn to attempt a return to the departure airport. The engine started to shake and run rough and the pilot realized that the airplane would not make it back to the airport. The pilot identified a road to land on; about 50 ft above the road, the engine lost all power. After touchdown, the right wing tip contacted a tree branch and the right wing sustained damage to the wing root, outer leading edge, and the wing spar. Examination of the engine revealed a roughly 6-inch hole in the top of the engine case just behind the No. 2 cylinder. Further examination revealed indications of oil starvation, though the oil tank was found to contain 5 quarts of oil, and the oil pump was found to be functional. The No. 2 connecting rod was found to be twisted, displayed thermal damage, and was separated from the crankshaft. The Nos. 1, 3, and 4, rod end bearings displayed evidence consistent with extrusion of the bearing material. According to airplane maintenance records, a major overhaul of the engine occurred about 187 hours of operation before the accident.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, remote
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Flight time: 1,586 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 1,318 as pilot in command; 947 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 5, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 902 as pilot in command; 602 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 14, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,556 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 13, 2023; 65 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: PMP Pompano Beach FL at 8:22 pm
- Destination: 2IS Clewiston FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.49 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from BCT, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBCT 052053Z 13015KT 10SM SCT040 18/15 A2949
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on February 11, 2026. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement and Pilot Statements | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - Airframe and Engine Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Witness Video (MP4, 43 Seconds, 59 Mb) | video | 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.