Cessna 152 N25856

Summary

On 27 February 1999 at about 00:45 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N25856 was involved in an accident near Sublett, Kentucky, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 February 1999 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Sublett, Kentucky, United States

Coordinates

37.7401, -83.0595

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N25856

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Murfreesboro → Beckley

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

NYC99LA067

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper decision to continue the flight with a perceived excessive fuel consumption, and delaying his decision to execute a precautionary until night, which resulted in the airplane impacting wires. Factors in the accident were the pilot's lack of total flight experience, and being lost and disoriented.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot checked weather, calculated en route times, and fuel required before departing. He activated his flight plan, requested and received radar traffic advisories, and climbed to an altitude of 7,500 feet msl. Once over the London Airport the right fuel tank was indicating empty, and the left tank was indicating half. During preflight, the pilot calculated that both tanks should be indicating half, but he continued the flight figuring the right gauge was faulty. Approximately 20 miles passed London, the pilot lost radio contact with ATC, and became disorientated. It was night, visibility was approximately 4 miles, and both the right and left fuel tanks indicated empty. The pilot started to doubted his initial assessment that the right gauge was faulty, so decided to make an off airport precautionary landing to a field. While on final, and approximately 50 feet above the ground, the airplane contacted wires and crashed. The pilot had a 130 hours of total flight experience. Five gallons of fuel in the left tank, and 6 gallons in the right tank were found. The commutation radio, navigation radio, transponder and alternator were tested and found to function properly.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.