# NTSB CEN09CA410: Cessna 150, N8319J, Bloomington, IL, July 3, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 3, 2009, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Bloomington, IL - Coordinates: 40.476943, -88.915832 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4769&lon=-88.9158&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA-Springfield FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74199 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09CA410 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74199/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74199 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA410 ## Probable cause The complete loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he checked the fuel level by looking at the fuel gauge prior to departure, and it read about 1/2 tank. Approximately one hour after departure, the pilot was beginning to make a descent to the destination airport. About 3 miles from the airport the engine lost power, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a road. During the approach to the road, the stall warning sounded as he tried to clear some trees. He lowered the nose and flew under the trees, but the left wing hit a tree and the airplane impacted the ground. An inspection of the airplane revealed that there was about 1.5 gallons of fuel remaining in the tanks. The Pilot Operating Handbook states that the unusable fuel capacity of the airplane was 3.5 gallons. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he checked the fuel level by looking at the fuel gauge prior to departure, and it read about 1/2 tank. Approximately one hour after departure, the pilot was beginning to make a descent to the destination airport. About 3 miles from the airport the engine quit, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a road. During the approach to the road, the stall warning sounded as he tried to clear some trees. He lowered the nose and flew under the trees, but the left wing hit a tree and the airplane impacted the ground. An inspection of the airplane revealed that there was about 1.5 gallons of fuel remaining in the tanks. The Pilot Operating Handbook states that the unusable fuel capacity of the airplane was 3.5 gallons. ## Aircraft - Registration: N8319J (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 (G) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 150-66219 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Craig Dennis Husch - Registered owner: Craig Dennis Husch - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: C56, Monee, IL - Destination: Bloomington, IL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 343 total, 211 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74199. 575 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 516 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316912&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - McLean County Incident Report (item 2, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316913&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=McLean%20County%20Incident%20Report-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.