N50575

On July 9, 2011, about 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 150J, N50575, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Lacassine, Louisiana. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed. The cross-country flight had originated from the Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH), Lake Charles, Louisiana, at 1230, and was destined for the Welsh Airport (6R1), Welsh, Louisiana.

According to the pilot, prior to departure, he estimated that the airplane contained about 9 gallons of fuel. A ladder was not available so a visual check was not performed. Approximate 30 minutes after departure the airplane’s engine lost power and the rpm dropped to approximately 1,500 rpm. Unable to maintain altitude the pilot performed a forced landing to a cane field. During the landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. During impact, the airplane’s fuselage, empennage, and both wings sustained substantial damage.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed a postaccident examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, approximately 3 gallons of fuel were recovered from the airplane’s fuel tanks. Neither of the two fuel tanks had been compromised during the accident and both fuel caps were found securely fastened. There was no smell of fuel and no noticeable fuel blight on vegetation at the accident site. The inspector further reported that he found no mechanical anomalies with the airplane’s airframe or engine that would have prevented the airplane from operating normally.

According to the airplane’s Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS), the airplane could accommodate 26 gallons of fuel, of which 21.5 gallons were usable. The remaining 4.5 gallons were considered unusable fuel.