Cessna 150G N3721J

Summary

On 7 January 2000 at about 14:30 local time, a Cessna 150G registered N3721J was involved in an accident near Marysville, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 January 2000 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Marysville, Washington, United States

Coordinates

48.0493, -122.1407

Aircraft

Cessna 150G

Registration

N3721J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Arlington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA00FA037

1 person died.

Fuel exhaustion due to the non-certificated 'pilot's' failure to determine the fuel quantity prior to takeoff. Factors include a dark night, and a non-iluminated electrical transmission wire strung across the highway upon which the pilot was attempting to make a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft was stolen from the airport early in the morning while it was still dark. While climbing out after takeoff, the aircraft experienced a complete loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and the 'pilot' attempted to land on the south-bound lanes of Interstate Highway 5. While descending toward the highway, the aircraft collided with a set of four power lines that crossed the road about 40 feet above the highway surface. After impacting the power lines, the aircraft descended nose-first into the asphalt surface. The power lines were not illuminated, and at the time of the accident, a light drizzle was falling. The individual 'piloting' the aircraft had been issued a student pilot certificate about 16 years prior to the accident, but since the expiration of that certificate (two years later), no new certificate had been reissued. At the time of the accident, the right wing tank was empty and the left tank held approximately one gallon of fuel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.