Cessna 150L accident near Lake Wales, Florida, May 2, 1991
On May 2, 1991 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N5829L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida (Lake Wales Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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
FAILURE OF AIRPORT PERSONNEL TO PERFORM AIRPORT MAINTENANCE WHICH RESULTED IN INACCURATE WIND INFORMATION DUE TO A DETERIORATED WINDSOCK, AND FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL WITH A TAIL WIND. ALSO, INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH BY THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE OF THE STUDENT PILOT AND HIS ATTEMPT TO GO-AROUND AFTER THE LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1991 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · Lake Wales Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5829L · no longer on the register · serial 150-73184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LAST LEG OF A LONG CROSS-COUNTRY FLT, THE STUDENT PLT ELECTED TO DIVERT TO A NEARBY ARPT TO PERFORM SEVERAL TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS. HE TRANSMITTED ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY FOR AN ARPT ADVISORY BUT RECEIVED NO REPLY. HE FLEW OVER THE ARPT AT 1,500 FT TO OBSERVE THE WINDSOCK WHICH INDICATED THAT THE WIND WAS FAVORING RWY 24. HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND & STATED THAT THE ACFT FLOATED DURING THE FLARE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RT & THE PLT APPLIED POWER TO GO-AROUND. THE ACFT THEN VEERED TO THE LT, TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE ACFT PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY CENTERLINE, DURING WHICH THE NOSE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT THEN CAME TO REST. POSTACCIDENT EXAM OF THE ARPT BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE WINDSOCK WAS IN A TOTAL STATE OF DISREPAIR. IT WAS LATER LEARNED THAT THE PLT LANDED WITH AN APRX 8 KT WIND AT 080 DEGREES.
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: student
- Flight time: 37 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,509 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 1991; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLB Melbourne FL at 7:15 pm
- Destination: GIF Winter Haven FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.