- Date
- May 21, 1994, 14:37 local (18:37 UTC)
- Place
- Addison, NY
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3335VCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940521011929A
- Case key
- 38756
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper inflight planning and decision, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent forced landing and collision with trees.
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.
Analysis
The pilot stated that while cruising, he became concerned about the fuel supply. He changed his destination to a closer airport, but the engine quit before reaching that airport. He performed a forced landing to a field; overshot the landing site and impacted trees. The FAA found no fuel in one tank and a small quantity of fuel in the other. The pilot had a total of 5.3 hours in this model airplane and 3.5 hours in the last 90 days.
Factual narrative
On Saturday, May 21, 1994, at 1437 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N3335V, piloted by Robert G. Gannon, and registered to Sky Park, Inc., sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in Addison, New York. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot departed Cleveland, Ohio, destined for Binghamton, New York. During the flight, he became concerned about the fuel supply; therefore, he changed his destination to a closer airport near Elmira, New York.
Before he could land, the engine quit. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field; however, he overshot the field and impacted trees.
A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, Lauren C. Dates, examined the wreckage and observed no fuel in the left tank and about 3 gallons in the right tank.
The pilot had a total flight time of 90 hours, with 5.3 hours in the Cessna 150. He had flown a total of 3.5 hours in the last 90 days, all of which was in this make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3335V
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15076464
- Airframe hours
- 4,934
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sky Park, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BKL · Cleveland, OH
- Destination
- ELM · Elmira, NY
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 5 in this make and model · 58 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3335V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.