Accident Overview
The accident involved a Cessna 150 aircraft that lost engine power during descent to 6,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot executed a forced landing in a cement mixing yard, which sheared off the landing gear and substantially damaged the fuselage and wings. The flight had been airborne for about five hours at the time of the accident, occurring at 2038 local time. Sunset had occurred approximately 1 hour into the flight, at 1627.
Pilot Statements
The private pilot, acting as pilot-in-command, reported that shortly after leveling off at 6,000 feet msl, the engine sputtered and lost power. Subsequent attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The certified flight instructor, serving as copilot, corroborated the timeline and stated that the aircraft had been fully fueled before departure. Fueling records indicated that 19.6 gallons of fuel had been purchased by the CFI prior to the flight.
Fuel and Endurance
The Cessna 150 Pilot Operating Handbook specifies that the aircraft, equipped with standard fuel tanks, has a usable fuel capacity of 22.5 gallons. At cruise power, this provides an endurance of approximately 5 hours. First responders at the accident site observed no fuel in the aircraft's fuel tanks and detected no odor of fuel.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the aircraft determined that no mechanical malfunction or failure of the engine was identified that would have precluded normal operation.