Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, when he misjudged the (inadequate) supply of fuel before takeoff, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Soft terrain in the emergency landing area was a related factor.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot took off to fly to an airport about 25 miles away to buy fuel. When he was about three miles from his intended destination, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. During a forced landing, the airplane encountered soft dirt and nosed over. In a written statement, the pilot said he misjudged the available fuel in the airplane.
Source record
Factual narrative
On October 2, 1993, at 1115 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150G, N2759S, sustained substantial damage when it nosed-over during landing rollout following a forced landing near Monroe, Michigan. The private pilot, who received minor injuries, reported a total loss of engine power. The personal flight originated at the Tecumseh Airport, Tecumseh, Michigan, with an intended destination of Monroe-Custer Airport, Monroe, Michigan. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot reported he was flying to Monroe to buy fuel for the airplane. In his written statement he said: "At 2200 feet and three miles west of the airport the engine quit. I attribute this to running out of gas. I erred in computing my available fuel." -