N45618

On April 8, 2000, at 1300 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N45618, collided with a jet blast deflection fence on final approach to runway 21, at the Leesburg Municipal Airport in Leesburg, Florida. The airplane was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local pleasure flight. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane departed Crystal River, Florida, at 1230.

According to the pilot, after takeoff from Crystal River the enroute flight was normal, but while on final approach to land on runway 21, the flight encountered turbulence. He stated that as he approached the runway threshold an unexpected severe down draft "sucked" him down. He stated that the nose gear collided with a jet blast deflector at the approach end of the runway and the airplane subsequently collided with the runway. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.

According to an eyewitness, the airplane appeared to be low on approach. The witness stated that the nose gear collided with the concrete blast fence and then the airplane collided with the runway in a nose low attitude and slid to a stop. The witness stated that it was windy with strong gusts at the time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The winds were from 230 degrees magnetic heading at 9 knots with gusts up to 14 knots.