Cessna 525 accident near Wauchula, Florida, February 15, 1995
On February 15, 1995 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 525, registered N63HB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wauchula, Florida (Wachula Municipal airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED ON APPROACH. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE IMPROPER DECISION OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND NOT TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND WHILE ADEQUATE RUNWAY REMAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1995 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wauchula, Florida · Wachula Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 525 · all 525s on the register
- Registration
- N63HB · no longer on the register · serial 0019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the jet stated he flew the airplane at a faster than normal final approach speed, landed long, and overran the end of the runway. Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane touched down 2,304 feet from the approach end of the runway, which was 4,000 feet long. Performance charts show the airplane's final approach speed to be 108 knots, which would give the airplane the capability of stopping in 2,650 feet.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 601 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 3,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 601 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 18, 1994; 136 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Williams Intl FJ-44 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: M & M Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: X31 Crystal River FL at 4:20 pm
- Destination: FD06
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from SRQ, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.