Cessna 150 accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, August 15, 1989
On August 15, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N60847, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida (St Lucie County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE TERRAIN (ROUGH/UNEVEN) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · St Lucie County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N60847 · no longer on the register · serial 15070616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS RTRNG FROM A X-COUNTRY FLT, WHEN HE ADVISED TOWER PSNL THAT HE 'JUST RAN OUT OF FUEL & WILL BE LANDING JUST SHORT OF THE RUWAY.' RPRTDLY, THERE WAS AN AGRICULTURAL GROVE IN THAT AREA. THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE LANDED IN A DRAINAGE 'CANAL' TO AVOID A 'HUT IN THE GROVE.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,149 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,374 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 6, 1989; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 8:52 pm
- Destination: FPR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:02 pm from FPR
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.