FTW95LA097

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150M · Prescott, AR · January 20, 1995

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
January 19, 1995, 18:30 local (Jan 20, 1995, 00:30 UTC)
Place
Prescott, AR
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N704CHCessna 150M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 23, 1995
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
19341

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. Factors were the pilot's disorientation and lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalCruise
Became lost/disoriented - inadvertentPilot in commandFactor
Refueling - not performedPilot in commandCause
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Forced landingEmergency descent/landing
On ground/water collision with objectEmergency landing
Terrain condition - none suitableFactor
Object - fence

Analysis

After approximately 2 hours of cross country flight, the private pilot executed a forced landing after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that he had difficulty locating his intended destination and was diverting to another airfield when the loss of power occurred. The pilot further reported that he executed a 'smooth landing' in a farmer's field; however, the aircraft struck a barbed wire fence after approximately 435 feet of landing roll. After striking the fence, the aircraft came to rest inverted. During aircraft recovery, no usable fuel was found in the fuel tanks.

Factual narrative

On January 19, 1995, approximately 1830 central standard time, a Cessna 150, N704CH, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in the vicinity of Prescott, Arkansas. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross country flight.

During an interview, the pilot stated that after "topping off the fuel tanks", he departed Terrell, Texas (TRL) on a flight to Hope, Arkansas. He stated that he had difficulty locating the airport at Hope and decided to divert to Kizer Field (4F7), near Prescott, Arkansas. While searching for 4F7, the "airplane ran out of fuel and landed in a pasture." The pilot reported that the landing was "smooth." However, after approximately 435 feet of landing roll, the airplane struck a barbed wire fence and came to rest inverted. During aircraft recovery, no usable fuel was found in the fuel tanks. The pilot reported that he was airborne approximately 2 hours after departing TRL. He further related that he should have had about 1 hour of fuel remaining and "could not account for excessive fuel use."

Aircraft

Registration
N704CH
Reported as
Cessna 150M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15078615
Airframe hours
4,807
Engine
Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Youngblood, Marion A.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 1, 1994 · 4 hours before
Departed
T67 · Terrell, TX
Destination
M18 · Hope, AR

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
71
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
441 total · 237 in this make and model · 156 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 10 knots
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 27 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
TXK, 40 nm away