Cessna 150F accident near Pembroke Pines, Florida, August 12, 1993
On August 12, 1993, a Cessna 150F, registered N7873F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pembroke Pines, Florida. 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
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED BY FUEL EXHAUSTION AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INACCURATE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1993
- Place
- Pembroke Pines, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7873F · no longer on the register · serial 15063973
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH AN ESTIMATED SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF FUEL BASED ON THE FUEL GAUGES. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A SMALL BODY OF WATER AFTER HE WAS UNABLE TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND EXAMINATION BY THE FAA REVEALED THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS CONTAINED RESPECTIVELY 1.5 AND 2 GALLONS OF FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET, THE UNUSABLE FUEL QUANTITY IS 3.5 GALLONS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED ACCORDING TO THE TACHOMETER 3.69 HOURS SINCE THE FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED.
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: 136 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,918 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 7, 1993; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dove Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.