Cessna 150M accident near Leitchfield, Kentucky, February 25, 1990
On February 25, 1990 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N45302, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leitchfield, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, IN THAT HE DID NOT ASSURE THAT BOTH FUEL TANK FILLER CAPS WERE SECURE PRIOR TO FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1990 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Leitchfield, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N45302 · registry record · serial 15076832
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT ONE HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY IN THE RIGHT TANK WAS DROPPING QUICKER THAN EXPECTED. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD, NOSED OVER, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. WHEN THE PILOT INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK FILLER CAP WAS MISSING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WOULD BE MORE CLOSELY AWARE OF THE TIGHTNESS AND CORRECT INSTALLATION OF FUEL CAPS IN THE FUTURE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 418 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 396 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,036 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 1989; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UCY Union City TN at 2:00 am
- Destination: M20 Leitchfield KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.