Cessna 150L accident near Brownstown, Illinois, January 5, 2010
On January 5, 2010 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N10401, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Brownstown, Illinois. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the student pilot becoming lost/disoriented in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2010 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Brownstown, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N10401 · no longer on the register · serial 15074845
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he was given a clearance to climb out to the west after taking off on the last leg of a three-leg cross-country flight. He departed at 3:35 local time, with 26 gallons of fuel on board. He stated that by the time he was able to turn onto his course heading he was off his planned route of flight. He reported that the haze and setting sun made it difficult to see and that he was not able to locate his checkpoints to get back on course. After flying around in order to attempt to identify his visual checkpoints, the engine experienced fuel exhaustion and the pilot performed an off-airport landing to a dark area in the terrain; however, the field was short and the airplane contacted trees and nosed over during the landing flare. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Haze/smoke › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Geographic disorient (lost) › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 73 hours in all; 16 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,726 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 2009; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEC Decatur IL at 3:35 pm
- Destination: 3LF Litchfield IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 pm from ENL, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.