Cessna 150M accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, December 8, 1996
On December 8, 1996 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N714LF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee (Sky Ranch 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
the student pilot's improper planning/decision, and his failure to maintain proper runway alignment during a crosswind landing. The strong crosswind was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1996 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Sky Ranch · map
- 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
- N714LF · registry record · serial 15079252
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After returning from a cross-country flight, the student pilot made several attempts to land on runway 18. The wind was reported to be from 260 degrees at 20 knots. A witness reported that after the last approach, the airplane touched down off the left side of the runway and subsequently collided with a road sign. The pilot stated he had 28 hours total flight time with 2 hours of crosswind landing experience.
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: 28 hours in all; 28 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,849 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 1996; 304 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THA Tullahoma TN at 5:30 pm
- Destination: TN98
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 1,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from TYS, 6 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.