Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
poor in-flight planning by an unqualified person which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor was the swamp in which the forced landing was made.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On October 24, 1998, a Cessna 150F, N8655S, was located in a swamp area 6 miles north-northwest of Muskegon, Michigan. The airplane was reported stolen from the Michigan City Municipal Airport, Michigan City, Indiana.
The airplane owner stated the airplane was locked and tied down at the Michigan City Airport. He stated he saw the airplane on October 4, 1998, at approximately 1600 est. The owner stated that on October 6, 1998, he drove by the airport around 0800 est, at which time he noticed the airplane was gone. A pick-up truck was found parked next to where the airplane was tied down.
N8655S was located in a swamp 1/2 mile south of River Road in the Muskegon State Game area, Muskegon, Michigan. The person flying the airplane was not located in the wreckage.
The airplane owner stated the airplane contained 25 gallons. The hobbs time after he last flew the airplane was 1663.7. The hobbs time at the accident site was 1667.7.
The wreckage was removed from the swamp. On November 11, 1998, N8655S was examined by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Grand Rapids, Michigan, Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported that there was no sign of fuel present in the airplane.
A suspect was arrested on December 14, 1998, and is currently being held in connection with the theft of N8655S.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI99LA009