History of the Flight
The pilot, aged 55, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 319 flying hours, including 34 on the accident aircraft type. In the preceding 90 days, he had flown 6 hours. He departed from Eshott Airfield for a local flight. After about two hours, while returning to the airfield at 3,000 ft amsl, the engine lost power. The pilot established a glide, confirmed the engine had stopped, and declared a MAYDAY to Newcastle Approach. He was offered a glide approach and landing at Newcastle Airport but declined due to the surrounding populated area. Selecting a suitable field for a forced landing, he informed ATC of his intentions. As he descended, he noticed people in a sports field and altered his target landing area to a nearby golf course. He made a successful touchdown, but the grass was wet and braking was poor, causing the right wing to impact a tree. This swung the aircraft to the right, and the left wingtip struck a fence.
Additional Information
The aircraft, a Reims Cessna F152 (registration G-WACT), was manufactured in 1982 and powered by a Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine. During recovery, very little fuel was found in the tanks. The pilot later confirmed that he had flown about 4 hours since the aircraft had been fully refuelled. He had previously assumed an endurance of approximately 4½ hours based on experience with a similar type, but was subsequently advised that G-WACT's endurance was no more than 4 hours. Shortly before the engine stopped, the left fuel gauge read zero and the right gauge read approximately 1/8 full.
Analysis
The engine stopped due to a lack of fuel. The pilot executed a forced landing without injury to himself or anyone else. The wings were extensively damaged. The source noted that continuing flight with the indicated fuel quantities was unwise and that the pilot was close to the endurance limit. Fuel planning and monitoring are considered essential for good airmanship.