What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 17, 2000 at approx. 1129 CDT the pilot in command, and sole occupant, departed williams rls (30LL) on a pleasure flight to jacksonville, IL (ijx). The PIC experienced a power loss shortly after departure. The pilot elected to try a emergency landing in a bean field. The aircraft touched down crossways on a highway, on a heading of about 330 degrees, bounced then hit an embankment next to the highway, bounced again and came to rest on its nose in a bean field. The aircraft received major damage to the nose gear, cowl, engine, propeller, firewall, and lower front of the fuselage. The pilot suffered a minor cut above his right eye, and on his right hand.(.4) the pilot said that he 'did engine run up and took off to the west. As soon as I started to climb the engine lost power. I [the pilot] put the nose down and the engine pickup power. As I started to nose up the engine lost power again.' The pilot subsequently attempted a forced landing and struck an embankment. The pilot's student pilot certificate and medical certificate had expired. The pilot listed no mechanical failure and described the failure as 'fuel starvation'. The pilot listed the fuel on board at takeoff as 3.0 gallons. The Cessna 150M owner's manual lists the total fuel capacity as 26.0 gallons, the usable fuel in all flight conditions as 22.5 gallons, and the unusable fuel as 3.5 gallons. A postaccident examination of the aircraft found that the right fuel tank had a trace of fuel, the left fuel tank had about 1/4 inch of fuel, and the firewall fuel filter was empty. No other anomalies were found that could be associated with a preexisting condition.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 17, 2000 AT APPROX. 1129 CDT THE PILOT IN COMMAND, AND SOLE OCCUPANT, DEPARTED WILLIAMS RLS (30LL) ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT TO JACKSONVILLE, IL (IJX). THE PIC EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TRY A EMERGENCY LANDING IN A BEAN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN CROSSWAYS ON A HIGHWAY, ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 330 DEGREES, BOUNCED THEN HIT AN EMBANKMENT NEXT TO THE HIGHWAY, BOUNCED AGAIN AND CAME TO REST ON ITS NOSE IN A BEAN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE NOSE GEAR, COWL, ENGINE, PROPELLER, FIREWALL, AND LOWER FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT SUFFERED A MINOR CUT ABOVE HIS RIGHT EYE, AND ON HIS RIGHT HAND.(.4) THE PILOT SAID THAT HE 'DID ENGINE RUN UP AND TOOK OFF TO THE WEST. AS SOON AS I STARTED TO CLIMB THE ENGINE LOST POWER. I [THE PILOT] PUT THE NOSE DOWN AND THE ENGINE PICKUP POWER. AS I STARTED TO NOSE UP THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN.' THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING AND STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT. THE PILOT'S STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE AND MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED. THE PILOT LISTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE AND DESCRIBED THE FAILURE AS 'FUEL STARVATION'. THE PILOT LISTED THE FUEL ON BOARD AT TAKEOFF AS 3.0 GALLONS. THE CESSNA 150M OWNER'S MANUAL LISTS THE TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY AS 26.0 GALLONS, THE USABLE FUEL IN ALL FLIGHT CONDITIONS AS 22.5 GALLONS, AND THE UNUSABLE FUEL AS 3.5 GALLONS. A POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK HAD A TRACE OF FUEL, THE LEFT FUEL TANK HAD ABOUT 1/4 INCH OF FUEL, AND THE FIREWALL FUEL FILTER WAS EMPTY. NO OTHER ANOMALIES WERE FOUND THAT COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH A PREEXISTING CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.