# NTSB NYC00LA235: Cessna 150F, N8709G, Friendly, MD, August 22, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 21, 2000, 21:05 local (Aug 22, 2000, 01:05 UTC) - Place: Friendly, MD - Coordinates: 38.729869, -77.000053 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7299&lon=-77.0001&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50070 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC00LA235 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50070/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA235 ## Probable cause The pilot's inability to locate the airport, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor related to the accident was the night light conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - became lost/disoriented, pilot in command (cause) - light condition - night (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) ## Analysis While on the last leg of a solo cross-country flight, the student pilot became disoriented and contacted air traffic control for assistance. The air traffic controller at vectored the airplane over the destination airport two times, but the student pilot could not visually identify the airport due to increasing darkness. After about 20 minutes of searching for the airport, the fuel supply was exhausted, and the engine quit. The student pilot conducted a forced landing to a road, where it struck a tree before coming to rest upright. Visual inspection of the airplane after the accident revealed no evidence of fuel in the airplanes wing tanks or at the accident site. ## Factual narrative On August 21, 2000, about 2105 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna 150F, N8709G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Friendly, Maryland. The student pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the student pilot's flight instructor, the student pilot was signed off by his flight instructor to conduct a solo cross-country flight. At 1602, the student pilot departed the Potomac Airfield (VKX), Friendly, Maryland, and proceeded to Salisbury, Maryland. The student pilot landed and then proceeded back to VKX. While proceeding to VKX, the student pilot became disoriented and contacted Andrews Air Force Base (ADW) for assistance. The air traffic controller at ADW vectored the airplane over VKX two times, but the student pilot could not visually identify the airport due to increasing darkness. After about 20 minutes of searching for the airport, the fuel supply was exhausted, and the engine stopped. The student pilot conducted a forced landing to a road, where the airplane struck a tree before coming to rest upright. Visual inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no evidence of fuel in the airplanes wing tanks or at the accident site. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8709G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8709G-2012-12-13), registration cancelled 2012-12-13, S/N 15062809, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150F - Registry model: [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f) (registry code 2071814) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15062809 - Engines: Lycoming O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Aviation Adventures - Registered owner: Robert J. Hepp - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 26, 2000 - Departed: SBY, SALSBURY, MD - Destination: VKX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 19; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 30 total, 30 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 130° at 2 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ADW, 7 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 20000821043799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000821043799A), Aug 21, 2000: Cessna 150F, Friendly, MD, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot solo cross country. At 1602 pilot departed vkx to oxb via sby with landings at sby and oxb returning to vkx. Student had trouble… 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.