Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salem, Illinois 62881
Thursday, June 28, 2007 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise. The student pilot stated that she had been practicing maneuvers during a local solo flight for approximately two hours and decided to return to the airport to land. While she was returning to the airport, she became disoriented and "lost [her] way." She stated that she was looking for any airport to land at, "because the visibility was deteriorating." The student pilot reported that the airplane was "getting low on fuel," and the engine "suddenly" shut off and started again. The student pilot decided to find suitable off airport terrain to land. She reported that she landed on a "grass strip" which was the only place that she could find to land, and the airplane subsequently struck a tree and the nose gear collapsed. The pilot stated in her accident report that there was 11.5 gallons of fuel on board at the last takeoff. Examination of the airplane after the accident noted that about 15 total ounces of fuel were drained from the fuel strainer on the firewall, the right fuel tank, and the left fuel tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion which resulted in a forced landing. Additional causes were the certified flight instructor's inadequate preflight supervision. Factors contributing to the accident were the disorientation encountered by the pilot, the deteriorating visibility, and the tree encountered on landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Salem
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62881
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 383834N
Event Location Longitude 0885751W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1005 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID SLO
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KSLO 281305Z AUTO 00000KT 7SM CLR 23/23 A3008 RMK
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22208
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2007 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11419
NTSB Number CHI07CA190
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15075406
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 10608
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Leslie Erb
Aircraft Owner Street Address 909 E 3
Aircraft Owner City Centralia
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62801
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Airgo Inc
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2331 E Calumet St
Operator City Centralia
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 62801
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ENL
Departure City Centralia
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 815
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 27 2007 4:47PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --