Cessna 150 accident near Okeechobee, Florida, March 24, 2007
On March 24, 2007 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N704HF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida (Okeechobee County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a loss of engine power during final approach, and a collision with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2007 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · Okeechobee County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N704HF · registry record · serial 15078618
- 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 9.5 gallons of fuel was onboard the airplane before takeoff. He cruised at an altitude of 3,500 mean sea level, for a flight of about 51 nautical miles, with an indicated airspeed of 110 knots. During final approach, about 250 feet above ground level, the airplane had a loss of engine power, and the pilot elected to land on the grass prior to the runway. The airplane impacted a ditch about 255 feet from the runway's threshold, and become airborne again. The nose gear bent, and the bottom cowling was damaged before it came to a stop. A person from the airport with a tractor assisted in towing the airplane into a hanger. As the airplane was towed, the pilot said he noticed fuel leaking from the airplane, and reached inside the cabin and turned the fuel selector valve off. The person who assisted the pilot stated to the airport manager that he did not see any fuel leaking during the recovery process, and confirmed with the pilot that the fuel selector valve was in the off position before the airplane was moved. The FAA inspector that conducted the postaccident examination drained 1.25 gallons of fuel from each wing tank, for a total of 2.5 gallons. The airplane's unusable fuel is 3.5 gallons.
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: 311 hours in all; 129 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 216 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,883 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006; 67.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 0-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMLB Melbourne FL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: KOBE Okeechobee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 050, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 14 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 7:25 pm from KOBE
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.
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.