Cessna 150L and Pitts S-2B accident near Leesburg, Florida, October 21, 2000
On October 21, 2000 at about 1:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150L (N11938) and Pitts S-2B (N331DM), were involved in the same accident near Leesburg, Florida (Leesburg airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot of N331DM to maintain a proper visual lookout and ensure adequate clearance, which resulted in a collision with N11938. A factor in the accident was the failure of each pilot to communicate with the other.
The failure of the pilot of N331DM to maintain a proper visual lookout and ensure adequate clearance, which resulted in a collision with N11938. A factor in the accident was the failure of each pilot to communicate with the other.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2000 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Florida · Leesburg · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N11938 · registry record · serial 15075716
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Pitts S-2B · all S-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N331DM · registry record · serial S305
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150L final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of N11938, a Cessna 150L, stated that she saw the Pitts S2B, N331DM, as it turned onto the taxiway and proceeded in her direction. She said she began maneuvering the Cessna to the right to avoid the Pitts, and she did not observe the Pitts being maneuvered to avoid her airplane. She said the Pitts turned directly into her path, so she maneuvered her airplane further to the right to avoid an head on collision with the Pitts. She said she then maneuvered the Cessna to the left, and stopped short of the grass in order not to strike a taxiway light with her airplane's propeller, and at that time the left wing of the Pitts collided with the left wing of her airplane. The pilot of the Pitts said that he had been observing the Cessna, and it had been stationary prior to him proceeding onto the taxiway. He added that he could see the Cessna until he was directly in front of it and made the turn. As he taxied the Pitts, he had been watching for traffic, but was unable to see directly in front, due to the configuration of his aircraft, and it was apparently during that time that the Cessna was "off the nose" of his airplane, and out of sight, that the Cessna started moving forward. He said that he saw Cessna off to his left side for a second or two before the impact, and was able to stop, but both airplanes collided wing to wing. There were no indications that either pilot ever attempted to establish radio communications with the other.
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 Pitts S-2B final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of N11938, a Cessna 150L, stated that she saw the Pitts S2B, N331DM, as it turned onto the taxiway and proceeded in her direction. She said she began maneuvering the Cessna to the right to avoid the Pitts, and she did not observe the Pitts being maneuvered to avoid her airplane. She said the Pitts turned directly into her path, so she maneuvered her airplane further to the right to avoid an head on collision with the Pitts. She said she then maneuvered the Cessna to the left, and stopped short of the grass in order not to strike a taxiway light with her airplane's propeller, and at that time the left wing of the Pitts collided with the left wing of her airplane. The pilot of the Pitts said that he had been observing the Cessna, and it had been stationary prior to him proceeding onto the taxiway. He added that he could see the Cessna until he was directly in front of it and made the turn. As he taxied the Pitts, he had been watching for traffic, but was unable to see directly in front, due to the configuration of his aircraft, and it was apparently during that time that the Cessna was "off the nose" of his airplane, and out of sight, that the Cessna started moving forward. He said that he saw Cessna off to his left side for a second or two before the impact, and was able to stop, but both airplanes collided wing to wing. There were no indications that either pilot ever attempted to establish radio communications with the other.
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 150L from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 59 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,040 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2000; 25 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: LEE Leesburg FL at 1:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from GNV, 55 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Pitts S-2B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 782 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 486 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 21, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 2000; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lyc. AEIO540D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LEE Leesburg FL
- Flight plan: none
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA01LA012.