Cessna 150J accident near Lacassine, Louisiana, July 9, 2011
On July 9, 2011 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N50575, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Lacassine, Louisiana. It was a personal 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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, as a result of the pilot's improper fuel planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2011 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lacassine, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N50575 · no longer on the register · serial 15069406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departure, the pilot estimated that the airplane contained about 9 gallons of fuel; however, he did not perform a visual inspection of the fuel quantity. About 30 minutes after departure, the airplane’s engine lost power, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a cane field. During the landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. Following the accident, about 3 gallons of fuel were recovered from the airplane’s fuel tanks. The two fuel tanks were not compromised during the accident, and both fuel caps were securely fastened. In addition, there was no smell of fuel and no noticeable fuel blight on vegetation at the accident site. The airplane’s total capacity was 26 gallons of fuel, of which 21.5 gallons were usable. The remaining 4.5 gallons were considered unusable fuel. The postaccident examination revealed no mechanical anomalies with the airplane’s airframe or engine that would have prevented the airplane from operating normally.
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 defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,300 hours in all; 165 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 14,170 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 30, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,081 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LCH Lake Charles LA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 6R1 Welsh LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.