- Date
- February 3, 1999, 10:31 local (16:31 UTC)
- Place
- Paxton, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N704BFCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 18, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990203018809A
- Case key
- 45694
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 inadequate preflight planning by the pilot in command and the exhaustion of usable fuel. Factors were the tailwind landing condition and the rough terrain at the landing site.
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 stated that after flying for 2.5 hours, he decided to land at an airport near Champaign, Illinois, and missed the airport due to the wind. The pilot stated that he then diverted to Paxton, Illinois, and after six attempts was unable to locate the airport. The pilot stated that the airplane ran out of fuel and he declared an emergency. An off airport landing was made into a plowed farm field 2.5 miles west of the Paxton Airport. The forced landing was made on a heading of 020 degrees. A weather report for a reporting station located 27 nautical miles and 190 degrees from the accident site reported winds from 180 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 26 knots. The left wing fuel tank contained no fuel and the right wing fuel tank contained less than one cupful of fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed no other anomalies.
Factual narrative
On February 3, 1999, at 1031 central standard time (cst), a Cessna 150M, N704BF, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Paxton, Illinois, after a loss of engine power during cruise flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported minor injuries. The flight originated at Tevis Field, near Chanute, Kansas, at 0710 cst, and was en route to Detroit, Michigan.
In his written statement, the pilot stated that after flying for 2.5 hours, he decided to land at an airport near Champaign, Illinois, and missed the airport due to the wind. The pilot stated that he then diverted to Paxton, Illinois, and after six attempts was unable to locate the airport. The pilot stated that the airplane ran out of fuel and he declared an emergency. An off airport landing was made into a plowed farm field 2.5 miles west of the Paxton airport. The pilot reported losing consciousness for an unknown amount of time following the accident.
Post accident investigation showed substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The forced landing was made on a heading of 020 degrees. A weather report for a reporting station located 27 nautical miles and 190 degrees from the accident site reported winds from 180 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 26 knots. The left wing fuel tank contained no fuel and the right wing fuel tank contained less than one cupful of fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed no other anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N704BF
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078476
- Airframe hours
- 8,036
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tevis Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 4, 1999 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- 17KS · Chanute, KS
- Destination
- Detroit, MI
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 836 total · 58 in this make and model · 745 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CMI, 27 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.