What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 9, 2004 at approximately 1420 central daylight time, a Cessna 150M, single engine airplane, N8959U, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Sherrill, Arkansas. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 instructional flight. The cross-country flight departed stuttgart municipal airport, stuttgart, Arkansas, at 1345, and was destined for Sherrill. According to the pilot, while on a solo cross-country, the engine began to "sputter and cut out." Shortly thereafter, the engine lost total power, and the electrical system in the airplane also lost power. The student pilot initiated a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted corn stalks, the terrain, and came to rest upright in the field. Upon arrival on the scene FAA inspectors found the aft fuselage buckled, the nose landing gear was separated and the firewall was bent. There was a small amount of fuel in each tank and there was no damage noted to the propeller. There wasno evidence of fuel leaks at the crash site.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 9, 2004 AT APPROXIMATELY 1420 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150M, SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE, N8959U, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR SHERRILL, ARKANSAS. THE STUDENT PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED STUTTGART MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, STUTTGART, ARKANSAS, AT 1345, AND WAS DESTINED FOR SHERRILL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE ON A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO "SPUTTER AND CUT OUT." SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER, AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE AIRPLANE ALSO LOST POWER. THE STUDENT PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED CORN STALKS, THE TERRAIN, AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT IN THE FIELD. UPON ARRIVAL ON THE SCENE FAA INSPECTORS FOUND THE AFT FUSELAGE BUCKLED, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS SEPARATED AND THE FIREWALL WAS BENT. THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL IN EACH TANK AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE NOTED TO THE PROPELLER. THERE WASNO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKS AT THE CRASH SITE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.