Cessna 150L accident near Blountville, Tennessee, June 24, 1990
On June 24, 1990 at about 1:08 am local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N1408Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blountville, Tennessee (Tri City Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1990 · about 1:08 am local time
- Place
- Blountville, Tennessee · Tri City Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1408Q · no longer on the register · serial 15072708
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED FOLLOWED BY A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. HIS FLIGHT PLANNING INDICATED THAT THE FLIGHT WOULD REQUIRE 2.5 HOUS. AFTER 3.5 HOURS THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 8 MILES SHORT OF THE DESTINATION. HE STATED THE INCREASED TIME WAS BECAUSE OF HEADWINDS. HE DID NOT INDICATE THE MIXTURE SETTING USED DURING CRUISE. WHILE DESCENDING FOR LANDING THE ENGINE SPUTTERED, CAUGHT, & QUIT. A FORCED LANDING RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH A FENCE. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED. ABOUT ONE GALLON OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED. LATER THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED. THE ONLY ANOMALY NOTED DURING THE ENGINE OPERATION WAS AN INDICATION OF A VERY RICH MIXTURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,157 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2,046 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,940 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 18, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LFN Louisberg NC at 9:50 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 7,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.