- Date
- March 19, 1997, 20:00 local (Mar 20, 1997, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- La Valle, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5526GCessna 150J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970319003359A
- Case key
- 10531
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 inadequate pre-flight planning/preparation which led to fuel exhaustion. A factor was the snow covered terrain.
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
En route to final destination the engine suffered a loss of power. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a flat farm field that was snow covered. After touchdown, the airplane nosed over and caused substantial damage to the airplane. Postcrash investigation showed no usable fuel in system. After one and one half gallons of Avgas were added to tanks, the engine started and ran uneventful.
Factual narrative
On March 19, 1997, at 2000 central standard time, a Cessna 150J, N5526G, sustained substantial damage during a night forced landing, near La Valle, Wisconsin, following a loss of engine power. The private pilot reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight departed East Troy, Wisconsin at 1900 with the intended destination of Hillsboro, Wisconsin.
In a written statement the pilot reported, "approximately 18 miles on the 280-degree radial from Dells VOR engine missed, pulled carb. heat and checked throttle and mixture, engine power lost with propeller windmilling." The pilot conducted a forced landing in a "flat farm field." After touchdown the pilot reported, "main gear touchdown, aircraft speed slowed rapidly, nose dropped & caught in snow flipping aircraft over on wings and tail."
Postcrash investigation, done by a Federal Aviation Administration Investigator, reported substantial damage in the wings and tail from aircraft nosing over on rollout. The fuel gascolater and low point sump drains were checked and fuel was found. After numerous attempts, the engine would not start. One and one half gallons of Avgas were added to the tanks, and then the engine started and ran. Further inspection of the aircraft indicated no abnormalities.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5526G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15071026
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Rolling Thunder Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 20, 1996 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- 57C · East Troy, WI
- Destination
- HBW · Hillsboro, WI
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 204 total · 185 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KDL, 18 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.