Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17543
Thursday, June 28, 2007 15:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

At approximately 1518 eastern daylight time, the owner/pilot of a Cessna 150 conducted an emergency landing off-airport in a cornfield after a total loss of engine power. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to local law enforcement personnel, the pilot said he departed Smoketown Airport (S37), Smoketown, Pennsylvania, at approximately 1345. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that was on scene, the fuel quantity remaining was less than the manufacturer's published minimum fuel required for engine operation in flight. The inspector did not report any fuel tank damage or leaks. Additionally, the inspector reported that the pilot's third class medical certificate had expired in May 2003, that the pilot did not meet the Flight Review currency requirements, and that the ELT battery was beyond its expiration date. The pilot failed field sobriety tests administered to him on-site by a local law enforcement officer, and a breathalyzer test yielded an alcohol concentration reading of 0.153 percent blood alcohol. FAR 91.17(a) specifies a maximum blood alcohol concentration of less than 0.04 percent.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision to conduct the flight while impaired by alcohol, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and substantial damage to the airplane during the subsequent forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1518
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lancaster
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17543
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400516N
Event Location Longitude 0761622W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 328
Weather Observation Facility ID LNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 403
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.94
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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) 22264
NTSB Notification Source FAA EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 2007 12:00AM
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 Harrisburg FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7842E
NTSB Number NYC07CA154
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 150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17642
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5220
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name George R Coder
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1624B Lincoln Hwy E
Aircraft Owner City Lancaster
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17602
Operator is an individual? Yes
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? --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S37
Departure City Smoketown
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KLNS
Destination City Lancaster
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 9 2007 4:19PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --