Cessna 150M accident near Tampa, Florida, October 5, 1990
On October 5, 1990 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704BB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida. 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 DECISION TO FLY AN AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES. THIS RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND A GROUND COLLISION WITH A FIXED OBJECT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 1990 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704BB · no longer on the register · serial 15078473
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 36, VANDENBURG AIRPORT, TAMPA, FLORIDA, IN VFR CONDITIONS ON A VFR CLIMB. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT 300 FEET AGL. THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT SUSTAIN POWERED FLIGHT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE TO A CLEARING. ON LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A FENCE, SEPARATED THE NOSEWHEEL, AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OVER ON ITS BACK SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. INVESTIGAATION REVEALED, THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS RUSTED OUT, AND THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT PRODUCE FULL RATED HORSEPOWER. THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE 8 1/2 MONTHS.
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: 351 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,884 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 19, 1989; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FD77 Wimauma FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 16 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from TPA, 5 miles away
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.