- Date
- July 21, 1991, 19:30 local (Jul 22, 1991, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Merrillville, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N714ECCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910721028879A
- Case key
- 15122
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
Improper pre-flight planning and preparation by the pilot-in-command. Factors related to this accident were the pilot-in-commands's inattentiveness concerning the refueling of his airplane, and inadequate fuel supply, inattentive ground personnel, and insufficient standards concerning refueling of airplanes on the part of operator management performing refueling operations.
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 of the single-engine airplane had arrived at an airshow. He paid for refueling and proceeded to observe the airshow performance. Upon return to his airplane the pilot pre-flighted the airplane, taxied out, departed for his home base. When approximately 5 miles from his home base the engine ceased operation. The airplane landed in a soft soiled bean field and nosed over during its landing roll. An on site investigation revealed both fuel tanks devoid of fuel. The pilot stated he did not check the fuel visually prior to departure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N714EC
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15079111
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Great Northern Aircraft Inc.
- Registered owner
- Great Northern Aircraft Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- DAY · Dayton, IN
- Destination
- 05C · Griffith, IN
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 90 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft overcast
- Observed at
- GYY, 8 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.