Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Underwood, South Dakota 57761
Monday, December 25, 2000 17:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he departed Kimball, South Dakota, with 17 gallons of fuel, which he said he "physically checked". The pilot said he flew 2.5 hours en route toward Spearfish, South Dakota, with a slight right quartering headwind. He said, "Expended all fuel 2.5 hrs (hours) into [the] flight, made [an] emergency lndg (landing) in a plowed field. Approximately 2-1/2 gallons of fuel was recovered from the airplane's fuel tanks. No other anomalies were found. The Cessna 150M Pilot's Operating Handbook states that the airplane's fuel capacity with standard tanks is 26 gallons. The total usable fuel is 22.5 gallons.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate planning and preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor relating to this accident was the plowed field.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/25/2000
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City NEW UNDERWOOD
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57761
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID RAP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3202
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 541
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10838
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 649
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 1 2001 7:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N63067
NTSB Number CHI01LA053
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 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15077076
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 4663
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STAR AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 2, BOX 396A
Aircraft Owner City SPEARFISH
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57783
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 6V6
Departure City KIMBALL
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1610
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SPF
Destination City SPEARFISH
Destination State SD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 18 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --