Cessna 150M N150VL accident near Hernando, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from obstacles during takeoff at night.

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that he and the pilot-rated passenger were practicing full-stop landings from the turf runway on a dark, moonless night. The passenger had already completed three full-stop landings and he had completed two. The accident flight was going to be his last landing. During a takeoff, he lost visual reference of the tree line along the side of the runway and contacted some treetops. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and the leading edges of the wings, and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot and the passenger were seriously injured. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA222 for the full record.