Cessna 150 accident near Gainesville, Florida, August 16, 2024
On August 16, 2024 at about 3:44 pm local time, a 1970 Cessna 150, registered N6495G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Gainesville, Florida (Gainesville Rgnl 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 separation of a nose landing gear axle retaining nut and the subsequent the failure of the nose landing gear during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2024 · about 3:44 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Florida · Gainesville Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 K, built 1970 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6495G · no longer on the register · serial 15071995
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and flight instructor described that during the landing roll the student pilot smelled a “burnt” smell, and that as the airplane continued to slow, drifted to the left. The student applied right rudder, but the airplane did not respond. He then applied the brakes and the nose landing gear immediately collapsed. The lower forward portion of the airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane after the accident and provided photos of his findings that were examined in detail. The examinations revealed that the nose landing gear fork was separated from the upper portion of the nose landing gear assembly. Additionally, one of the nuts securing the nose landing gear’s axle was missing, while the threads on the axle were intact. The opposite end of the axle retained its nut, which was still secured with a cotter pin. The nose landing gear fork fracture surfaces exhibited fracture features consistent with overstress, and signatures consistent with the nosewheel rubbing against it before the fracture occurred. Based on this information, it is likely that one of the nuts securing the nosewheel axle was not properly secured and separated from the axle. This allowed the axle to displace laterally, resulting in the nosewheel making contact with the fork, and its subsequent failure.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Failure
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 230 as pilot in command; 122 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 19, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,391 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 4, 2024; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 5,453 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISM Kissimeee FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: GNV Gainesville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 4,158 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from GNV
Weather report (METAR): KGNV 161554Z 04010KT 10SM CLR 30/20 A3010 RMK AO2 T03000200
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.