Cessna 150 accident near Brookfield, Missouri, August 11, 2015
On August 11, 2015 at about 8:50 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 150, registered N8896U, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Brookfield, Missouri (North Central Missouri Rgnl airport). 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
The pilot's failure to visually check the quantity of fuel in the fuel tanks in accordance with the Preflight checklist, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2015 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Brookfield, Missouri · North Central Missouri Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 M, built 1976 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N8896U · no longer on the register · serial 15078017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he departed on a cross-country flight with the fuel gauges indicating that the fuel tanks were half full, which he thought was sufficient fuel for the flight. While on final approach to the destination airport, the engine lost power, and the pilot subsequently performed an off-field forced landing. The airplane struck a wire fence and sustained substantial damage. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomalies, and no usable fuel was found in the fuel tanks. The pilot reported that he did not visually check the fuel level in the fuel tanks before the flight, which was not in accordance with the Preflight checklist in the Airplane Owner's Manual. He added that he relied on the fuel gauge indications to determine the quantity of fuel on board the airplane. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the exhaustion of usable fuel during the flight, which led to the loss of engine power.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 162 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 154 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 1,400 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHT Chillicothe MO at 8:00 pm
- Destination: MO8 Brookfield MO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 5,002 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KIRK, 29 miles away
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.