# NTSB FTW96LA255: Cessna 152, N93139, Hobart, OK, June 16, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 16, 1996, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Hobart, OK - Coordinates: 35.020854, -99.089004 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0209&lon=-99.0890&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 4, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19868 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW96LA255 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19868/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA255 ## Probable cause the pilot became lost/disoriented, and failed to properly use information that was provided by ATC, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and an encounter with soft terrain during an emergency landing. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - communications/information/atc - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - soft - Nose over, emergency landing ## Analysis The student pilot had planned a cross-country from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Hobart, Oklahoma. This was his second cross-country flight and was planned for 2 hours and 20 minutes. En route, the airplane was vectored around 2 airports with NOTAMed airspace, then the pilot was cleared to resume his own navigation. Several times, the pilot contacted ATC controllers and obtained headings to the destination. While being vectored, the engine lost power about 6 miles from the destination after the airplane was airborne about 4 hours and 45 minutes. During a subsequent forced landing, the airplane nosed over in soft terrain. No usable fuel was found in the airplane. ## Factual narrative On June 16, 1996, at 1630 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N93139, registered to and operated by NEC Resident Schools, Inc., dba Spartan School of Aeronautics, as a Title 14 CFR Part 141 flight, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Hobart, Oklahoma. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country instructional flight that departed Tulsa, Oklahoma, 4 hours 45 minutes before the accident. During personnel interviews, conducted by the investigator-in-charge, the operator reported the flight as the second solo cross country for the student pilot. The operator further stated that during the student's first cross country from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to McAlester, Oklahoma, the student had requested assistance from a McAlester Flight Service Station specialist to locate the airport. That flight ended without further incident. The student received additional instruction and was released for another solo cross country. The flight plan was 2 hours and 20 minute's time to Hobart and the flight departed Tulsa at 1145. A review of the Air Traffic Control data by the investigator-in-charge revealed the following information. At 1231, en route to Hobart, the student contacted Oklahoma Air Traffic Approach Control who assigned the transponder code of 0422 and identified the airplane over Luther, Oklahoma (approximately 32 miles northwest of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma). The controller vectored the airplane to remain clear of NOTAM airspace (Page Airport from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL and El Reno Airport from the surface to 5,000 feet MSL). Subsequently, at approximately 1312, the pilot was cleared to turn right on course and resume his own navigation to Hobart. The controller observed the airplane heading 120 degrees and advised the pilot that the heading would not get him to Hobart. At approximately 1324, the pilot changed the airplane heading to 240 degrees and subsequently to 220 degrees. At approximately 1459, the pilot repeatedly requested heading assistance from air traffic and was given a suggested heading of 265 degrees to Hobart. At 1510, the pilot was advised to change to Fort Sill Approach Control frequency, 118.6. Fuel status was reported as 1/2 tank; however, as the airplane was being vectored to Hobart, a total loss of engine power occurred. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over in the wet field and came to rest inverted. The chief mechanic for the operator examined the airplane and reported bending and buckling of the wing spars. The mechanic did not find fuel in the gascolator or the carburetor. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N93139](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N93139-1997-08-23), registration cancelled 1997-08-23, S/N 15285414 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15285414 - Airframe hours: 8888 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: N. E. C. Resident Schools - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 7, 1996, 22 hours before - Departed: RVS, TULSA, OK - Destination: HBR - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 60 total, 60 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 11 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 97 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: HBR, 6 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960616015929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960616015929A), Jun 16, 1996: Cessna 152, Hobart, OK, Substantial damage. Lost power on cross country training flight. Student unable to navigate. Wandered around. Fuel exhausted. Impacted. (-23) the Cessna 152, N93139, registered to… 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.