- Date
- July 2, 1994, 22:37 local (Jul 3, 1994, 03:37 UTC)
- Place
- Waseca, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N63277Cessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940702023909A
- Case key
- 9584
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
inadequate preflight planning/preparation and the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane. Factors related to the accident were a poorly planned forced landing approach and high vegetation.
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 reported that upon nearing the destination airport the engine began running rough and lost power. A forced landing was made during which the airplane contacted a ditch and came to rest inverted in a corn field. Post accident inspection revealed 45 ounces of fuel remained on board the airplane. The pilot stated that better preflight planning could have prevented the accident.
Factual narrative
On July 2, 1994, at 2237 central daylight time, a Cessna 150, N63277, registered to Maynard Stensrud and piloted by a private pilot, nosed over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The forced landing was made in a field 1 1/2 miles from the destination airport in Waseca, Minnesota. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Brookings, South Dakota, on July 2, 1994, at 2030 cdt.
The pilot stated that when nearing the destination airport, the engine began to run rough. He initially planned to land on a county road; however, upon determining he was unable to do so he landed the airplane in a corn field. According to the Waseca County Sheriff's report the airplane touched down just south of the road, contacted a ditch, became airborne, then travelled into a corn field where it came to rest inverted.
An inspection of the airplane by the airplane owner, and witnessed by a Sheriff's Deputy, revealed 45 ounces of fuel remained throughout the fuel system of the airplane. The pilot departed Waseca, Minnesota, earlier on the day of the accident, flew to Brookings, South Dakota, and was returning to Waseca when the accident occurred. The airplane had full tanks upon departed Waseca and was not refueled during the trip.
The pilot stated to a Federal Aviaiton Administration Inspector that he failed to perform a complete preflight regarding fuel calculations prior to departing Brookings. The pilot reported on NTSB Form 6120.1/2 that better preflight planning could have preventing this accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63277
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15077225
- Airframe hours
- 3,757
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Maynard R. Stensrud
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 6, 1994 · 51 hours before
- Departed
- BKX · Brookings, SD
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
- 20
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 193 total · 60 in this make and model · 138 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OWA, 14 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.