N7152SCessna 150H · 1967

On September 20, 2018, about 2230 central daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N7152S, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Festus, Missouri. The pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot and his son were relocating the airplane from New York to Festus Memorial Airport (FES), Festus, Missouri. Fuel receipts showed that the pilot refueled the airplane three times during the trip. The first stop was Chautauqua County/Dunkirk Airport (DKK), Dunkirk, New York, about 19 miles from the departure airport, where the pilot obtained 13.4 gallons of fuel. The second refueling stop was about 226 miles away, at Knox County Airport (4I3), Mount Vernon, Ohio, where the airplane was fueled with 16.56 gallons. The third refueling stop was about 174 miles away at Greensburg Municipal Airport (I34), Greensburg, Indiana, where the airplane was fueled with 13.62 gallons at 1906. The distance from I34 to FES was about 275 miles.

The pilot and passenger communicated with the pilot's fiancée via text message during the trip. They told her that the airplane was experiencing a "small electrical problem" and stated that their estimated time of arrival (ETA) would be determined "at the next fuel stop… just before dark." After their fuel stop at I34 they estimated their ETA at FES would be about 2215. They then asked her to stand on the end of the runway with a flashlight to help guide the airplane in for landing.

They also stated that they would attempt to activate the airport lighting system with a handheld radio, but they were unsure if the radio had enough battery power to perform the task. During the last leg of the flight, they indicated that they had "picked up a head wind" and further extended their ETA until 2220.

The pilot's fiancée reported that she went to the end of the runway with the flashlight on, and the pilot attempted to land, but she was unsure if the airplane touched down on the runway due to the dark night conditions. She further reported that the airplane was "blacked out" and did not have any exterior lights on.

The last text message from the pilot stated, "keep light on." After several minutes of not seeing or hearing the airplane, she tried contacting the pilot multiple times with no response before contacting law enforcement. The wreckage was located the following morning in a tree-covered swamp about 1/4 mile southeast of the departure end of runway 19.

At the time of the accident, the pilot was employed as an airline pilot. He previously worked as a helicopter air ambulance pilot and a military helicopter pilot. The pilot held a mechanic certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings. According to the pilot's employer, the pilot's most recent flight with the company was on September 19, 2018. The pilot's last check ride occurred on August 24, 2018.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, while the passenger held a FAA third class medical certificate, he did not hold any airman certificates, and did not have any reported flight time on the date of his examination.

The Cessna 150H pilot's operating handbook (POH) stated that the maximum capacity for both fuel tanks was 26 gallons total (13 gallons in each tank). The POH further stated that the usable fuel amount for all flight conditions was 22.5 gallons total, and the unusable fuel amount was 3.5 gallons total.

The Textron Aviation Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements discussed electrical power failures. This document states in part:

The pilot should maintain control of the airplane and land when practical if an electrical power loss is evident.

If an electrical power loss is experienced, continued flight is possible, but should be terminated as a soon as practical. Such things as fuel quantity and engine temperature indicators and panel lights may no longer work.

Review of the maintenance records revealed no evidence of uncorrected mechanical discrepancies with the airplane.

According to information from the U.S. Naval Observatory, sunset at FES on the day of the accident occurred at 1902, and the end of civil twilight was 1928. Moonrise was 1656, and the moon transit was 2206. The phase of the moon was listed as waxing gibbous with 83% of its visible disk illuminated.

The Cessna 150H pilot's operating handbook (POH) stated that the maximum capacity for both fuel tanks was 26 gallons total (13 gallons in each tank). The POH further stated that the usable fuel amount for all flight conditions was 22.5 gallons total, and the unusable fuel amount was 3.5 gallons total.

The Textron Aviation Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements discussed electrical power failures. This document states in part:

The pilot should maintain control of the airplane and land when practical if an electrical power loss is evident.

If an electrical power loss is experienced, continued flight is possible, but should be terminated as a soon as practical. Such things as fuel quantity and engine temperature indicators and panel lights may no longer work.

Review of the maintenance records revealed no evidence of uncorrected mechanical discrepancies with the airplane.

The wreckage was situated about one quarter of a mile south east of the departure end of runway 19 and about 440 ft above mean sea level.

Flight control continuity was established for the airframe. All structural components of the airplane were located at the accident site. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. Both wings sustained substantial impact damage from contact with trees. The fuel tanks remained intact, and a total of about 2.25 gallons of fuel were extracted from the two fuel tanks. The propeller blades did not exhibit chordwise scratches or torsional deformation

The alternator and the voltage regulator were examined and functionally checked. The alternator performed normally with no malfunctions or failures; the voltage regulator was inoperable. The voltage regulator was manufactured around 1976. There was no life limit or replacement interval specified. Review of the airplane's maintenance records did not indicate how long the voltage regulator had been installed on the accident airplane.

With the exception of the voltage regulator, no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and engine were noted.

Figure 1 - View of the fuel being extracted to a five-gallon plastic bucket (courtesy of Continental Motors).

The Jefferson County Office of the Regional Medical Examiner, St. Charles, Missouri, conducted an autopsy of the pilot. The cause of the death was attributed to "craniocerebral trauma."

The FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicology tests on specimens from the pilot; testing was negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and drugs. A test for cyanide was not performed.