Cessna 150J N7486S accident near Greenville, Mississippi

Probable cause

The pilots’ inadequate fuel planning and failure to monitor the fuel consumption which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing into wooded terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision during the instructional flight.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor reported that while conducting holding pattern training, the engine “stuttered” which was followed by a loss of engine RPM. The pilot receiving instruction pulled on the carburetor heat, and the engine did not regain power. The engine subsequently lost total power. Due to the lack of suitable terrain, the flight instructor then conducted a forced landing to wooded terrain. The airplane impacted trees and terrain resulting in substantial damage to the wings and empennage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel system was intact and contained no usable fuel.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25LA121 for the full record.