- Date
- January 6, 1991, 16:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Ft. Atkinson, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4286UCessna 150D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910106000219A
- Case key
- 14981
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. A factor was unsuitable terrain for landing.
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
Aircraft experienced total loss of engine power 100 feet above ground after takeoff. The pilot made a forced landing in area containing scattered brush and trees 0.25 miles from end of runway. Aircraft struck trees during forced landing. Investigation revealed no fuel in either wing tank or carburetor. This was the first takeoff of the third flight of the day in this aircraft by the certified flight instructor who was giving the owner, his son, and a friend, their first instructional flights.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4286U
- Reported as
- Cessna 150D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15060286
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- William R. Gottschalk
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
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
- 66
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,900 total · 4,300 in this make and model · 4,700 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Temperature
- 14 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSN, 24 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.
Other investigations on N4286U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.