Cessna 150L N18539

Summary

On 23 October 1990 at about 03:56 local time, a Cessna 150L registered N18539, operated by Dalton L. Peck, was involved in an accident near Lexington, Kentucky, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 October 1990 at 03:56

Classification

Accident

Location

Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Lexington-Bluegrass (LEX)

Coordinates

38.0691, -84.5806

Aircraft

Cessna 150L

Registration

N18539

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Dalton L. Peck

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Washington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO91LA006

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT DECISION CAUSING FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT WAS BEING FERRIED TO THE NEW OWNER WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE THIRD LEG OF A FLIGHT FROM HARTFORD, CT TO DALLAS, TX. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL WHEN HE TOOK OFF AT 2020 EDT. HE PROCEEDED EN ROUTE AT 4000 FT MSL AT A GROUNDSPEED OF ABOUT 96 KTS. THE PLT STATED THE FUEL MIXTURE WAS LEANED FOR THE FLIGHT. ABOUT 35 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION HE NOTICED ONE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE INDICATED NEAR EMPTY, AND THE SECOND GAGE INDICATED LESS THAN HALF-FULL. ABOUT 10 MILES OUT BOTH GAGES INDICATED NEAR EMPTY. SOON AFTERWARDS THE ENGINE LOST POWER, BUT HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE. HOWEVER THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN AND HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD ABOUT A MILE NE OF LEX. ABOUT 4 OZS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE POST- ACCIDENT EXAMINATION. FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS INDICATE ABOUT 5 GALS OF FUEL SHOULD HAVE REMAINED WHEN THE POWER LOST OCCURRED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.