Beech E-55 and Cessna 172K mid-air collision near Lakeland, Florida, April 14, 1999
On April 14, 1999 at about 3:23 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech E-55 (N44LE) and Cessna 172K (N833G), were involved in a mid-air collision near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Linder Regional airport). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a visual lookout and visual separation while on approach for landing. This resulted in a midair collision with another airplane and subsequent in-flight collision with the runway.
Failure of the pilot of the other aircraft to maintain a visual lookout and visual separation while on approach for landing. This resulted in a midair collision with another airplane and subsequent in-flight collision with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1999 · about 3:23 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Linder Regional · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech E-55 · all E-55s on the register
- Registration
- N44LE · registry record · serial TE-913
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N833G · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech E-55 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the BE-55 airplane cut in front of another airplane on approach for landing. The BE-55 continued to descend towards a Cessna on a low final approach for landing. The BE-55 was much faster and overtook the Cessna colliding with the Cessna's vertical stabilizer and top of the fuselage. The nose of the Cessna was observed to pitch up in a nose high attitude with both airplanes entangled together. The airplanes collided with the ground in a right wing low attitude. Bounced and rotated to the right 90 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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172K final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the BE-55 airplane cut in front of another airplane on approach for landing. The BE-55 continued to descend towards a Cessna on a low final approach for landing. The BE-55 was much faster and overtook the Cessna colliding with the Cessna's vertical stabilizer and top of the fuselage. The nose of the Cessna was observed to pitch up in a nose high attitude with both airplanes entangled together. The airplanes collided with the ground in a right wing low attitude. Bounced and rotated to the right 90 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 for the Beech E-55 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,150 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1998; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Myers FL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: LAL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9L, 6,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:25 pm from LAL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172K from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 3:50 pm
- Destination: LAL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9L, 6,000 ft by 75 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.