Cessna 152 accident near Hudson, Ohio, December 30, 1995
On December 30, 1995 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N47316, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hudson, Ohio. 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 inadequate preflight planning/preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power due to an inadequate supply of fuel. Factors relating to the accident were: false fuel quantity indication from the left fuel quantity gauge, and swampy terrain in the emergency landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1995 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hudson, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N47316 · no longer on the register · serial 15283213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that when he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, the fuel tanks '...appeared to be full. They could have been no more than 2 inches down.' The pilot reported that as the airplane neared the destination airport after about 2 3/4 hours of flight, the engine power began to fluctuate. He stated that he checked the fuel quantity gauges and '...the right [fuel tank] was empty and the left was 3/4 full.' He attempted to regain power by pumping the primer and throttle. He reported that '...I went into about a 60 [degree] bank to the right to see if fuel would move between the tanks...motor caught and cut out a few times. When I leveled off the engine quit completely and the prop stopped turning.' During an emergency landing, the airplane touched down in a frozen/swampy area and nosed over. Postaccident investigation of the aircraft revealed no fuel in the fuel tanks, fuel strainer or carburetor. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was found. Postaccident examination of refueling records/airplane logs revealed that the airplane had flown about 4 3/4 hours since the most recent refueling.
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: 65 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,793 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 1995; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOL Toledo OH at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 29G Ravenna OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.
Other NTSB records under N47316 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.