On February 20, 2004, a Cessna 150J (registration N5559G) was involved in an aviation accident near Longview, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot lost track of time and ran low on fuel, causing the engine to die. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Pilot reported half fuel pre-flight. After touch-and-go and searching for barge, lost track of time, ran low on fuel, engine died. Forced landing; nose wheel ditched, nosed over. No mechanical issues; FAA confirmed fuel exhaustion.
Flight and Fuel Management
According to the pilot, the fuel tanks were about half full during the pre-flight inspection. After takeoff and one touch-and-go landing, the pilot proceeded to search for a missing barge along a river. The pilot then lost awareness of the time and ran low on fuel, which led to the engine stopping.
Forced Landing and Outcome
The pilot performed a forced landing to an open field. During the landing roll, the nose wheel sank into a ditch and the aircraft nosed over.
Pilot Statement and FAA Investigation
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft. An FAA inspector later confirmed that the fuel tanks were empty.
Probable cause
The pilot lost track of time and ran low on fuel, causing the engine to die.