Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brownstown, Illinois 62418
Tuesady, January 5, 2010 17:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot stated that he was given a clearance to climb out to the west after taking off on the last leg of a three-leg cross-country flight. He departed at 3:35 local time, with 26 gallons of fuel on board. He stated that by the time he was able to turn onto his course heading he was off his planned route of flight. He reported that the haze and setting sun made it difficult to see and that he was not able to locate his checkpoints to get back on course. After flying around in order to attempt to identify his visual checkpoints, the engine experienced fuel exhaustion and the pilot performed an off-airport landing to a dark area in the terrain; however, the field was short and the airplane contacted trees and nosed over during the landing flare. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the student pilot becoming lost/disoriented in flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/5/2010
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1720
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Brownstown
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62418
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385944N
Event Location Longitude 0885710W
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 1725 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID ENL
Elevation of weather observation facility 534
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.31
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26548
NTSB Notification Source FAA-SPI-FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 21 2010 3:20PM
User who most recently changed record dinc
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N10401
NTSB Number CEN10CA092
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 15074845
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 Nov 3 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 5726
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CUVAR PHILIP M
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City GRANITE CITY
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62040-2570
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name CUVAR PHILIP M
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City GRANITE CITY
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 62040-2570
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 DEC
Departure City Decatur
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1535
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3LF
Destination City Litchfield
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 8 2010 5:07PM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --