Cessna 150M accident near Nashville, Tennessee, September 29, 1992
On September 29, 1992 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N7764U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee. It was an instructional 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 STUDENT PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FACTOR WAS HIS GEOGRAPHICAL DISORIENTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1992 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N7764U · no longer on the register · serial 15077836
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT PLANNED A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH A SCHEDULED FUEL STOP AT THE SECOND EN ROUTE DESTINATION. AT THE SECOND CITY HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE AIRPORT AND DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY BACK TO NASHVILLE, TN, HIS DEPARTURE CITY. AS HE NEARED NASHVILLE, HE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO AN AIRPORT. PRIOR TO REACHING THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE QUIT BECAUSE OF FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE TACHOMETER INDICATED AN ELAPSED FLIGHT OF 3.8 HOURS, WHILE THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT PLANNING LOG DEPICTED 3.6 HOURS REQUIRED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT.
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: student
- Flight time: 51 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Academy
The flight
- Departed from: MQY Smyrna TN at 4:12 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BNA, 10 miles away
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.