SEA94LA041

Prior to takeoff, the pilot checked the fuel gauges and 'dipped' the fuel tanks, but he did not use a calibrated fuel tank quantity device. During cruise the aircraft experienced fuel exhaustion, and the pilot attempted a forced landing on an abandoned dirt airstrip which had patches of ice on it. During the forced landing the pilot overshot the proper touchdown point, landed long, and slid off the end of the runway.

On Wednesday afternoon, December 15, 1993, at 1600 PST, a Cessna C-150J, N61215, registered to the Tonasket Flying Club, impacted terrain and nosed over five miles south of Tonasket, Washington, during an emergency forced landing. There was no flight plan filed for the personal flight, conducted under 14 CFR 91 in visual meteorological conditions, that departed Brewster, Washington at about 1530, December 15, 1993, bound for Tonasket, Washington. The private certificated pilot was not injured in the accident. The aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no fire. The pilot reported the aircraft lost engine power during cruise flight and he initiated an emergency forced landing on a private airstrip which had snow and ice patches on it. The aircraft landed long, ran off the end of the runway, collided with terrain and nosed over. An aircraft mechanic who examined the wreckage after the accident reported there was no fuel in the aircraft tanks or evidence of spilled fuel at the accident site. The pilot said that both fuel gauges read between one-quarter and one-half full before takeoff, and he reported that he had "dipped" the tanks during preflight, but not with a calibrated stick.