Maule MX-7-180 accident near Okeechobee, Florida, July 7, 1992
On July 7, 1992 at about 1:39 pm local time, a Maule MX-7-180, registered N148DP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida. 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
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N148DP TO OBTAIN NOTAM INFORMATION CONCERNING MILITARY ROUTES ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT, RESULTING IN HIS ENCOUNTER WITH A FLIGHT OF F16 AIRCRAFT WHO WERE OPERATING ON A MILITARY ROUTE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1992 · about 1:39 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX-7-180 · all MX-7-180s on the register
- Registration
- N148DP · registry record · serial 11015C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF N148DP FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, BUT DID NOT OBTAIN NOTAM INFORMATION FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. EN ROUTE HE REPORTED TO THE AIR FORCE AVON PARK OPERATIONS THAT HE INTENDED TO PASS TO THE SOUTH OF THE RESTRICTED AREA AT AVON PARK. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 1,400 FEET OVER INSTRUMENT ROUTE 34 (IR 34), N148DP ENCOUNTERED A FLIGHT OF FOUR F16 AIRCRAFT FLYING AT 1,500 FEET AT 500 KNOTS. THE F16 AIRCRAFT WERE IN WIDE FORMATION AND NONE OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD RADAR CONTACT WITH N148DP. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT PERFORMED A 6 'G' PULL UP TO AVOID COLLISION WITH N148DP. N148DP ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE F16 AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE. THE PILOT OF N148DP CONTINUED TO THE DESTINATION AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE F16 FLIGHT CONTINUED THE MISSION AND RETURNED TO BASE UNEVENTFULLY. THE IR 34 ROUTE WAS ON A NOTICE TO AIRMAN (NOTAM) AS BEING ACTIVE AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE.
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: 6,000 hours in all; 1,857 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 758 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 1992; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPF Tampa FL at 12:55 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from FPR, 44 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.