Cessna 152 N48969

Summary

On 5 September 2002 at about 02:50 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N48969 was involved in an accident near Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 September 2002 at 02:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

45.0617, -93.3533

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N48969

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rush City → Crystal

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI02LA271

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight preparation/planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power. A factor to the accident was the power transmission line and the trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on approach the airplane experienced a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot performed a forced landing in a residential area. The pilot reported that he departed at 1815 cdt, with approximately 18.5 gallons of useable fuel, and flew approximately 3.0 hours prior to making a precautionary landing because he was "concerned about fuel." The pilot stated there "appeared to be about 4 gallons in each wing tank. About 8 gallons in all." The pilot reported that the flight to the final destination normally would take approximately 20 minutes and determined there was sufficient fuel to make the flight. The pilot stated he departed at 2110 and while on approach to the final destination the engine began to "sputter." The pilot reported he "believed then that we were running out of fuel." The pilot reported that he was approximately 1.25 miles from the runway and did not have sufficient altitude to glide to the airport. The airplane impacted a power transmission line and trees in a residential area. The pilot reported accident time was 2150. The pilot stated that after the accident he checked the winds aloft forecast and the winds had significantly higher velocities than when he had checked prior to the original 1815 departure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.