RUSSELLVILLE, AL, USA
N8085F
CESSNA 150F
WHILE CONDUCTING A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED. HE ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH FLIGHT SERVICE, AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD LESS THAN ONE FOURTH OF A TANK OF FUEL. FOUR MINUTES AFTER ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT. HE THEN SELECTED A FIELD AND MADE A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL AFTER IT COLLIDED WITH A BERM. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT'S FLIGHT LOG, HE FLEW FIVE HOURS WITHOUT AN EN ROUTE REFUELING STOP. THE NORMAL FUEL ENDURANCE FOR THIS AIRPLANE IS APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS.
On July 15, 1995, at 1145 central daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N8085F, collided with a berm during rollout following a forced landing near Russellville, Alabama. The solo cross country flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with a flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the student pilot was not injured. The flight departed Lafayette, Georgia, at 0745 eastern daylight time. According to the student pilot, he became disoriented during the solo cross country flight. The pilot requested directional finding assistance from a local airport control tower; during the directional finding process, the airplane ran out of fuel, and the engine quit. The student selected a nearby open field for an emergency landing. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a berm and nosed over. According to the student pilot's flight log, he had flown five hours without a planned enroute fuel stop. The Cessna 150 has an approximate fuel endurance of four hours. No mechanical problems were reported with the airplane.
THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PLAN ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. A FACTOR WAS THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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