# NTSB CHI04CA143: Cessna 150F, N6620F, Forest Lake, MN, June 7, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 6, 2004, 22:30 local (Jun 7, 2004, 03:30 UTC) - Place: Forest Lake, MN - Coordinates: 45.247776, -92.994445 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2478&lon=-92.9944&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 1, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Minneapolis, MN FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59437 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI04CA143 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59437/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04CA143 ## Probable cause The pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations which resultied in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power. Factors associated with the accident were the dark light conditions and the water on which the forced landing was made. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, descent - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Ditching, emergency landing - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot performed a forced landing in a lake following fuel exhaustion. The pilot departed Jamestown, North Dakota, at 1800 with full fuel tanks. He stated he climbed to an altitude of 9,500 feet, but that the airplane began "acting funny" around 7,000 feet so he decided to land in Enderlin, North Dakota, at 1930. While on the ground the pilot determined the engine problem was a result of him not leaning the engine at the higher altitudes and he departed at 1930 with an intended destination of New Richmond, Wisconsin. The pilot stated he planned the flight for 3 hours 15 minutes, and that he figured he had 4 hours of fuel left on board. The pilot reported that while en route he decided to land in Osceola, Wisconsin, because it was getting late. He stated he then became "a little apprehensive about the fuel" so he decided to land in Forest Lake, Minnesota. The pilot reported the engine "abruptly quit" during the descent. He stated he attempted to restart the engine to no avail. He stated there was a populated area between his position and the airport, so he turned to land on the lake to avoid injuring anyone on the ground. The pilot stated the next thing he remembers was exiting the airplane after it contacted the water. The pilot swam to shore and flagged down a police car that was responding to the report of an airplane in the lake. The pilot reported to the police officer that he had run out of fuel. On the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 that the pilot completed, he reported the accident could have been prevented "by fueling and/or not descending until over airport." ## Factual narrative On June 6, 2004, at 2230 central daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N6620F, collided in Clear Lake during a forced landing following a loss of engine power in Forest Lake, Minnesota. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. A visual flight rules flight plan had been filed for an earlier leg of the cross country flight, but the pilot canceled it for the accident leg. The flight originated from the Jamestown Regional Airport (JMS), Jamestown, North Dakota, at 1800, with the second leg of the flight originating from the Sky Haven Airport (5N4), Enderlin, North Dakota, at 1930. The pilot reported he departed JMS with full fuel tanks. He stated he climbed to an altitude of 9,500 feet, and the airplane began "acting funny" around 7,000 feet so he decided to land at 5N4. According to the pilot, he landed at 1930. While on the ground the pilot determined the engine problem was a result of him not leaning the engine at the higher altitudes. He stated he checked the engine and departed at 1930 for New Richmond, Wisconsin. The pilot stated he planned the flight for 3 hours 15 minutes and he figured he had 4 hours of fuel left on board. The pilot reported that while en route he decided to land in Osceola, Wisconsin, because it was getting late. He stated he became "a little apprehensive about the fuel" so he decided to land at the Forest Lake Airport (25D) instead of at Osceola. The pilot reported that during the descent, the engine "abruptly" quit. He stated he attempted to restart the engine to no avail. He stated there was a populated area between his position and the airport, so he turned to land on the lake to avoid injuring anyone on the ground. He stated the next he remembers was exiting the airplane after it contacted the water. The pilot swam to shore and flagged down a police car that was responding to the report of an airplane in the lake. The pilot reported to the police officer that he had run out of fuel. On the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 that was completed by the pilot, he reported the accident could have been avoided "by fueling and/or not descending until over airport." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6620F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6620F), registered now, S/N 15063220, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150F - Registry model: [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f) (registry code 2071814) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15063220 - Engines: Continental O-200A 100 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Joshua H. Simmers - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 5N4, Enderlin, ND - Destination: RHN, Forest Lake, MN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 23; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 132 total, 64 in this make and model, 76 as pilot in command, 61 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 100° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: CBG ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040606017409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040606017409A), Jun 6, 2004: Cessna 150F, Forest Lake, MN, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft landing at Forest Lake (25D) lost power and avoided populated area by landing in clear lake. Pilot swam to shore. 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.