Cessna 150L accident near Lexington, Kentucky, October 23, 1990
On October 23, 1990 at about 3:56 am local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N18539, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Kentucky (Lexington-Bluegrass airport). It was a ferry 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 INFLIGHT DECISION CAUSING FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1990 · about 3:56 am local time
- Place
- Lexington, Kentucky · Lexington-Bluegrass · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N18539 · no longer on the register · serial 15073927
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS BEING FERRIED TO THE NEW OWNER WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE THIRD LEG OF A FLIGHT FROM HARTFORD, CT TO DALLAS, TX. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL WHEN HE TOOK OFF AT 2020 EDT. HE PROCEEDED EN ROUTE AT 4000 FT MSL AT A GROUNDSPEED OF ABOUT 96 KTS. THE PLT STATED THE FUEL MIXTURE WAS LEANED FOR THE FLIGHT. ABOUT 35 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION HE NOTICED ONE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE INDICATED NEAR EMPTY, AND THE SECOND GAGE INDICATED LESS THAN HALF-FULL. ABOUT 10 MILES OUT BOTH GAGES INDICATED NEAR EMPTY. SOON AFTERWARDS THE ENGINE LOST POWER, BUT HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE. HOWEVER THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN AND HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD ABOUT A MILE NE OF LEX. ABOUT 4 OZS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE POST- ACCIDENT EXAMINATION. FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS INDICATE ABOUT 5 GALS OF FUEL SHOULD HAVE REMAINED WHEN THE POWER LOST OCCURRED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,994 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,742 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AFJ Washington PA
- Destination: LEX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from LEX, 1 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N18539 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.