# NTSB IAD96LA150: Cessna 150G, N2607J, Templeton, MA, September 21, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 21, 1996, 19:35 local (23:35 UTC) - Place: Templeton, MA - Location: 42.5556° N, 72.0676° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Templeton, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5556&lon=-72.0676&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 31, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28111 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD96LA150 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28111/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA150 ## Probable cause the student pilot's improper in-flight decision to continued the cross-country flight into night conditions, and his inability to find the destination (or an alternate airport) in a timely manner, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, forced landing, and in-flight collision with trees. Factors related to the accident were: darkness, and the student pilot's lack of night experience. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - light condition - night (contributing factor) - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor) - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with object, emergency landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The student pilot planned a 5 leg cross-country flight. A flight instructor (CFI) reviewed and approved the flight plan with an option of various locations to refuel. The student departed later than anticipated. He stated that the first 4 legs were uneventful, but he realized that darkness would affect his final leg. The student checked his flight planning and believed he had enough fuel to reach his destination without stopping, and that he would arrive before darkness. About half way on his final leg with the sun setting, the student pilot calculated 17 minutes to his destination and 75 minutes of fuel remaining. After arrival at his destination, the student was unable to find the airport. He requested assistance from a Flight Service Station, was located, then handed off to Boston Center. During a vector to the nearest airport, the engine lost power. The student pilot maintained best glide airspeed until tree top level, then stalled (landed) the airplane into the trees. Examination of the airplane revealed no usable fuel in the tanks. The airplane had flown 3.7 hours since its last refueling. The student pilot had not received any night flight instruction. ## Factual narrative On September 21, 1996, approximately 1935 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150G, N2607J, was destroyed during a forced landing and collision with trees near Templeton, Massachusetts. The student pilot received minor injuries. Night visual meteorological conditions existed. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed and the flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. A certificated flight instructor reviewed and approved the student pilot's flight plan, including options on various locations to refuel. The flight instructor stated that she had not anticipated the flight to extend into darkness and the student pilot stated that he got a later start than expected. The first four legs of the five leg solo cross country flight were uneventful. The fifth leg was to Gardner Municipal Airport, Gardner, Massachusetts, where the student pilot planned to remain over night. The student pilot stated that he originally planned to get fuel, but realized he was behind schedule and the sun was beginning to set. The student pilot stated that he felt, after checking his flight planning, that he had enough fuel to get to his destination and without stopping, he would arrive prior to darkness. The final leg started at 1845, official sunset occurred at 1850. The student pilot was half way to Gardner Airport, when he calculated 17 minutes to his destination and 75 minutes of fuel remaining, and the sun had set. The student pilot stated that upon his arrival at his destination, he attempted to activate the Pilot Control Lighting (PCL) on the airport. Not seeing the PCL and unable to locate the airport, the student pilot maintained 3,000 feet and circled in the vicinity. The student pilot contacted a Flight Service Station and stated that he was disoriented and needed assistance. Once located, the pilot was turned over to Boston Center, who vectored him to the nearest airport. When asked, the student pilot stated that he was unable see the airport, and shortly thereafter, the engine lost power. After an unsuccessful attempt to restart the engine, the student pilot told Boston Center that he was not able to make the airport. The student pilot maintained best glide airspeed until tree top level, and then stalled the airplane into the trees. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector revealed that both fuel caps were intact and when the master switch was turned on, both fuel gauges indicated empty. The FAA Inspector looked inside the fuel tanks and reported that, "there was barely enough fuel to wet the bottom in each tank." Among the paper work recovered at the scene was the starting Hobbs meter time of 5416.8 hours and the Hobbs meter in the airplane read 5420.5 hours for a total of 3.7 hours. The student pilot's total flight experience covered 3 months with 30 hours of flight time, 13 hours as pilot in command/solo time and no night instruction received. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2607J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2607J-1997-03-10), registration cancelled 1997-03-10, S/N 15065607 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150G - Registry model: [Cessna 150G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150g) (registry code 2071816) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15065607 - Airframe hours: 4585 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Coastal Aviation Services, Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 15, 1996, 6 hours before - Departed: SFZ, PAWTUCKET, RI - Destination: GDM, GARDNER, MA - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 30 total, 30 in this make and model, 12 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright ## 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 19960921029149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960921029149A), Sep 21, 1996: Cessna 150G, Templeton, MA, Destroyed. Continued flight into dark. Low fuel unable find gdm. Fuel depleted. Stalled into trees. No night checkout. 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.