Accident Summary
On July 9, 2011, about 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 150J, registration N50575, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Lacassine, Louisiana. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH), Lake Charles, Louisiana, at 1230, and was destined for Welsh Airport (6R1), Welsh, Louisiana.
Pilot's Account
According to the pilot, prior to departure he estimated the airplane contained about 9 gallons of fuel. A ladder was not available, so a visual check of the fuel level was not performed. Approximately 30 minutes after departure, the engine lost power and the revolutions per minute (rpm) dropped to about 1,500 rpm. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot performed a forced landing to a cane field. During the landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The fuselage, empennage, and both wings sustained substantial damage during the impact.
Postaccident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed a postaccident examination of the airplane. Approximately 3 gallons of fuel were recovered from the fuel tanks. Neither tank had been compromised, and both fuel caps were found securely fastened. There was no smell of fuel and no noticeable fuel blight on vegetation at the accident site. The inspector reported no mechanical anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have prevented normal operation. According to the airplane's Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS), the airplane could accommodate 26 gallons of fuel, of which 21.5 gallons were usable and 4.5 gallons were considered unusable.