# Accident 19980531011489A: Cessna 150M, Newton, KS, May 31, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 31, 1998, 23:18 local time
- Place: Newton, KS
- Airport: Newton-City-County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.0392° N, 97.3392° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0392&lon=-97.3392&mi=10
- Aircraft: N714FB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N714FB-2004-01-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 150M (registry code 2071830, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150M
- Reported engine: CONT O200A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 36 total, 36 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA185) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980531011489A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

GOT LOST. FLEW UNTIL DARK AND FUEL EXHAUSTION BEFORE GETTING HELP ON RADIO. HIT TREES MILE FROM EWK AIRPORT. (.4)ON MAY 31, 1998, AT 2318 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150M, N714FB, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE ON DESCENT TO LAND AT NEWTON-CITY COUNTY AIRPORT, NEAR NEWTON, KANSAS.  THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT HIT TREES DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING, THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.  THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES.  THE SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE.  THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED WICHITA MID-CONTINENT AIRPORT AT 2100 WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF FLOSSER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, CONCORDIA, KANSAS.  THE STUDENT PILOT SAID THAT HE DEPARTED CONCORDIA WITH THE INTENTION OF CONDUCTING A ROUND-ROBIN NIGHT FLIGHT FROM CONCORDIA, TO HUTCHINSON, TO SALINA, AND RETURN TO CONCORDIA.  HE SAID THAT THE FIRST LEG WENT AS EXPECTED; HOWEVER, DURING THE SECOND LEG HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND MADE A LANDING AT WICHITA (MID-CONTINENT AIRPORT).  HE SAID ON DEPARTURE FROM WICHITA , HE FLEW A HEADING OF 350 DEGREES' HOWEVER, AFTER ABOUT 20 TO 30 MINUTES REALIZED THAT HIS AIRPLANE WAS LOW ON FUEL. HE SAID THAT HE RADIOED FOR HELP ON 121.5 MHZ AND WAS ASSISTED BY ANOTHER PILOT IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOCATE HIM AND ASSIST HIM IN GETTING TO AN AIRPORT.  HE SAID HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO REACH NEWTON-CITY COUNTY AIRPORT, NEAR NEWTON, KANSAS, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND HE CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING.  DURING THE LANDING APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND THE TERRAIN. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE STUDENT PILOT HE SAID THAT HE HAD ONE FLIGHT AT NIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.  HE SAID THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT HE PREPARED THE PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CHECKED IT, BUT MADE NO CHANGES OR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.  HE SAID THAT HE SHOULD HAVE RE-FUELED THE AIRPLANE WHILE HE WAS IN WICHITA AND SHOULD HAVE CALLED HIS INSTRUCTOR, BUT DID NOT DO EITHER.  A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED ONLY UNUSABLE FUEL REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANKS.  NO OTHER MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE NOTED DURING THIS INSPECTION.                                                                                                                                               (-23) A STUDENT PILOT ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED. HE DEPARTED ICT AT DUSK AND FLEW AROUNG UNTIL WELL AFTER DARK BEFORE DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. HE CRASHED INTO TREES 3/4 MILE NORTH OF THE NEWTON (EWK) CITY-COUNTY AIRPORT AFTER EXHAUSTING HIS FUEL SUPPLY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98LA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA185), Jun 1, 1998: Cessna 150M (N714FB), Newton, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. Related factors were the pilot became disoriented and a dark night.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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