Cessna 172M and Let L-13 mid-air collision near Okeechobee, Florida, December 19, 1998
On December 19, 1998 at about 6:11 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172M (N9295H) and Let L-13 (N98KK), were involved in a mid-air collision near Okeechobee, Florida (Okeechobee County airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate visual lookout of the pilot of the Cessna airplane and of the pilot of the glider resulting in the midair collision.
The inadequate visual lookout of the pilot of the Cessna airplane and of the pilot of the glider resulting in the midair collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 1998 · about 6:11 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · Okeechobee County · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9295H · registry record · serial 17266075
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Let L-13 · all L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N98KK · registry record · serial 027155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Cessna reported entering the traffic pattern on a left downwind for runway 13, and at that time he observed the glider on the upwind leg for runway 13. The pilot of the Cessna turned left base and final, announced these legs, and while on final approach at 500 feet, he felt an impact. He continued the approach and landed uneventfully. The pilot of the glider reported that after release, the flight descended to the traffic pattern altitude and entered left downwind, left base and final; announcing all legs. While on final approach at 200 feet to the grass runway, he felt an impact then noted that the Cessna pulled ahead and to his left, and landed on the paved surface of the runway. The glider was landed on the grass runway. The vertical stabilizer of the Cessna was displaced to the right about 45 degrees and marks on the upper surface of the left elevator were oriented at a 45 degree angle to the longitudinal axis of the airplane. The lower surface of the left wintgtip of the glider was displaced up and the right lower side of the fuselage was damaged.
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 Let L-13 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Cessna reported entering the traffic pattern on a left downwind for runway 13, and at that time he observed the glider on the upwind leg for runway 13. The pilot of the Cessna turned left base and final, announced these legs, and while on final approach at 500 feet, he felt an impact. He continued the approach and landed uneventfully. The pilot of the glider reported that after release, the flight descended to the traffic pattern altitude and entered left downwind, left base and final; announcing all legs. While on final approach at 200 feet to the grass runway, he felt an impact then noted that the Cessna pulled ahead and to his left, and landed on the paved surface of the runway. The glider was landed on the grass runway. The vertical stabilizer of the Cessna was displaced to the right about 45 degrees and marks on the upper surface of the left elevator were oriented at a 45 degree angle to the longitudinal axis of the airplane. The lower surface of the left wintgtip of the glider was displaced up and the right lower side of the fuselage was damaged.
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 Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,763 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1998; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGD Punta Gorda FL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: OBE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from FPR, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Let L-13 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,425 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,144 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 697 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 11, 1998; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OBE at 5:56 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA99LA051.