On July 9, 2004, a Cessna 150M (registration N8959U) was involved in an aviation accident near Sherrill, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Fuel exhaustion as stated by the pilot. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a solo cross-country flight, the engine lost power about 1 mile from the airport. The student pilot performed a forced landing in a cornfield, where the aircraft impacted cornstalks and terrain before coming to rest upright. The pilot cited fuel exhaustion as the cause.
Incident Overview
A student pilot conducting a solo cross-country flight experienced an engine power loss while on the final leg of the journey, approximately 1 mile from the destination airport. The pilot initiated a forced landing in a cornfield. During the landing, the aircraft struck cornstalks and terrain, eventually coming to rest upright in the field.
Pilot Statement and Examination
The pilot reported that a visual examination indicated fuel exhaustion had caused the accident. Following the incident, the engine was test-run on the airframe and operated at various power settings for about 2 minutes without any anomalies being noted.
Outcome
The aircraft sustained damage from impact with cornstalks and the terrain, but no further details on the extent of damage were provided. The student pilot was able to exit the aircraft after the landing.