Accident Details
On March 25, 2020, at approximately 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna 150E airplane (registration N4729U) was substantially damaged during an accident near Aero Country Airport (T31) in McKinney, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported performing a preflight inspection with no anomalies and confirmed 14 gallons of fuel onboard using a dipstick, which he estimated would provide about 1.5 hours of flight time plus a 30-minute reserve. He departed T31 around 1730 and flew 26 miles north to an airport for three touch-and-go landings, then returned to T31 for three additional touch-and-go landings. Before the final landing, the fuel gauges indicated 1/4 tank and 1/8 tank of fuel. During climb-out from the final touch-and-go, at approximately 200 feet above ground level, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot advanced the throttle and mixture controls full forward and turned off the carburetor heat, but the engine did not respond. He executed a forced landing to a golf course, where the airplane struck a tee box and nosed over.
Postaccident Examination
Following the accident, fuel was observed leaking from the fuel tank caps while the airplane was inverted. After recovery to a hangar at T31, about 3 gallons of fuel were drained from the tanks. According to the airplane owner's manual, the fuel tanks hold a total of 26 gallons, with 3.5 gallons considered unusable (1.75 gallons per tank). A postaccident examination was conducted by a mechanic under FAA oversight. The inspector noted that 2 to 3 gallons of fuel were found in a container that held the previously drained fuel. The fuel strainer and its attached fuel line remained attached to the firewall and were undamaged. The strainer, fuel lines, and carburetor were completely dry and clear of contaminants. No other preaccident anomalies that would have precluded normal operation were found.