Cessna 150M N6433K accident near Lexington, Kentucky

Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel manangement.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed on the outbound leg of a cross country flight with the fuel tanks filled to "1/8-inch below the solid ring of the [fuel filler] neck." He departed on the return leg of the flight without refueling the airplane, and about 6 miles prior to reaching the final destination, the engine lost power. The pilot adjusted the engine controls, which restored engine power briefly, but it again lost power, and he subsequently performed a forced landing. The airplane touched down, struck a fence, and was substantially damaged. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that there was no odor of fuel, no evidence of fuel spillage, and that the airplane contained less than 8 quarts of fuel at the scene. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated "even though indications were that there was sufficient fuel for the return flight, getting fuel at [the departure airport] as a precaution would have prevented the accident."

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA09CA426 for the full record.