N4590K – CESSNA 152 – 2009-05-03 NTSB Accident Report

On May 03, 2009, a Cessna 152 (N4590K) was involved in an incident near Opelousas, LA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to flight.

The commercial pilot was 500 feet above ground level on approach to his destination airport when the single-engine airplane lost power. The pilot made a forced landing to a rain-soaked field approximately 8 miles north of the runway. On touchdown the nose gear sank into the muddy terrain and collapsed. According to the pilot the airplane had approximately 15 gallons of fuel on board upon departure. An on-scene inspection of the fuel tanks indicated 2 1/2 gallons in the left tank and 1 gallon in the right tank. The aircraft manual states 1 1/2 gallons of fuel is unusable in the tanks. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot and passenger were not injured.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN09CA280. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N4590K.