# NTSB ERA25LA299: Cessna 150, N9400U, Fordsville, KY, August 13, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 12, 2025, 19:05 local (Aug 13, 2025, 00:05 UTC) - Place: Fordsville, KY - Coordinates: 37.643246, -86.677927 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6432&lon=-86.6779&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 15, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200785 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA299 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200785/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200785 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA299 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was on a cross-country flight and about 1 hour and 20 minutes into the flight, while in cruise flight at an altitude of about 2,400 ft msl, the airplane’s engine began to vary in rpm for several seconds before it reduced to idle power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the problem by applying carburetor heat and attempting to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful, and he subsequently performed a forced landing to a field. The airplane’s left wing was substantially damaged during the forced landing. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that both of the airplane’s fuel tanks were intact with no evidence of a breach. Less than one gallon of fuel was recovered from both tanks. The right fuel quantity indicating gauge in the cockpit showed an empty indication when electrical power was applied, while the left fuel quantity indicating gauge indicated between ¼ and ½ tank. While a trace amount of fuel was present in the airplane’s unobstructed fuel lines, the gascolator was absent of fuel. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure, and the engine was successfully test run when it was plumbed to an external fuel source. Following the accident, the pilot stated he believed that the airplane contained 18 or 19 gallons of fuel before he departed on the accident flight. He also stated that during his preflight inspection, the center sump drain stuck open for between 4 and 5 seconds and required repeated cycling in order to get it to close. The airplane was equipped with two fuel tanks that could be filled with a combined total of 22.5 usable gallons of fuel. The pilot stated, and fueling records confirmed that the airplane was serviced with 18 gallons of fuel two days before the accident. The pilot described that the fuel was filled in each tank to the “tabs.” A review of ADS-B data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the airplane was subsequently flown for about 2 hours after the fueling. Based on this information, it is unlikely that the airplane contained the 18 gallons of fuel the pilot estimated were onboard when he departed on the accident flight. Given the uncertain nature of the airplane’s actual fuel state when the pilot departed on the accident flight, combined with the lack of fuel found onboard the airplane at the accident site, as well as the successful postaccident test run of the engine, it is most likely that the loss of engine power the pilot experienced during the accident flight was a result of fuel exhaustion. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9400U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9400U-2026-01-06), registration cancelled 2026-01-06, S/N 15078348 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 (M) - Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15078348 - Airframe hours: 8033 - Engines: Continental O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, November 10, 2024, 60 hours before - Departed: IMS, Madison, IN - Destination: OWB, Owensboro, KY - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 160 total, 110 in this make and model, 75 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: OWB, 24 nm away - METAR: KOWB 122356Z 17007KT 10SM CLR 28/23 A2992 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW SLP128 60021 T02830233 10333 20261 55006 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250812010239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250812010239A), Aug 12, 2025: Cessna 150M, Fordsville, KY, Substantial damage. Pilot stated that the engine RPM went to idle, checked both magnetos and attempted to restart the engine but would only run at 1000 RPM. Pilot made an… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 15, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200785. 36.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 14.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19477351&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20L299_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - fueling history and consumption estimate (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19629265&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Fueling%20History%20and%20Consumption%20Analysis%20LA299-Rel.pdf - FAA automatic dependent surveillancea��broadcast (adsa��b) raw flight data 8/10/2025 (item 3, XLSX, 9.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19673919&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=20250810_AD0F93_596964190_ADSB-Rel.xlsx - FAA automatic dependent surveillancea��broadcast (adsa��b) raw flight data 8/12/2025 (item 4, XLSX, 10.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19674580&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=20250812_AD0F93_597173292_ADSB-Rel.xlsx - Memorandum for record - pilot interview summary (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19644955&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FINAL%20Record%20of%20Convo%20w%20Jared%20Newberry%208%2013%202025%20v03_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - FAA inspector's examination (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 206 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19481449&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20wreckage%20examination%20LA299-Rel.pdf - Pilot operating handbook (excerpts) (item 7, PDF, 4 pages, 254 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19481891&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CESSNA_150_POH%20excerpts-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 8, PDF, 5 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19481755&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photos%20LA299-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.