- Date
- August 17, 2000, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Chapin, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N304JFCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000817036309A
- Case key
- 50061
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to refuel the aircraft prior to the flight and exhaustion of the fuel supply. A factor to the accident was the embankment.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
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.
Factual narrative
On August 17, 2000, at 1100 central daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N304JF, piloted by a non-certificated pilot, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power during initial climb from runway. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported minor injuries. The flight was originating from the Williams Airpark, Chapin, Illinois, and was en route to the Jacksonville Municipal Airport, Jacksonville, Illinois.
The pilot possessed an expired student pilot certificate and medical certificate issued on March 30, 1998.
In a written report, 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 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 listed in his written report no mechanical failure and described the failure as "fuel starvation". The pilot also 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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N304JF
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078655
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeff L. Gain
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 30LL
- Destination
- IJX · Jacksonville, IL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 167 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SPI, 32 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.