Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bunker Hill, Illinois 62014
Friday, April 7, 1989 17:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PLT RPRTD THAT DURING A PREFLT, HE CHECKED THE FUEL GAGES, VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FUEL TANKS & BELIEVED THE FUEL TANKS WERE ABOUT HALF FULL. HE TOOK OFF WITHOUT REFUELING THE ACFT. ABOUT 45 MIN LATER, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE STUDENT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A WHEAT FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT NOSED OVER & WAS DAMAGED. RECORDS SHOWED THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 3.8 HRS ON A PREVIOUS FLT, AFTER IT WAS LAST REFUELED. AT ECONOMY CRUISE, MAX FLT TIME FOR THIS ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 4.22 HRS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT BY THE STUDENT PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: SOFT TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/7/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1735
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BUNKER HILL
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62014
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID ALN
Elevation of weather observation facility 545
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1325
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2114
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39512
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N66988
NTSB Number CHI89LA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 152-81707
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LENCOR INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 234 HERWORTH
Aircraft Owner City CHESTERFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PREMIER AIR CENTER, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 18 TERMINAL DR.
Operator City EAST ALTON
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 62024
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ALN
Departure City EAST ALTON
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1650
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --