Cessna 150E accident near Harrah, Oklahoma, July 1, 2022
On July 1, 2022 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna 150E, registered N6147T, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Harrah, Oklahoma (Oklahoma Academy Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s inadequate inflight fuel planning that resulted in fuel exhaustion and a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2022 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Harrah, Oklahoma · Oklahoma Academy Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E, built 1964 · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N6147T · registry record · serial 15060847
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot departed the short turf runway with a low fuel load to practice landings at another airport. The flight instructor planned to refuel midway through the flight but forgot to stop for fuel, despite observing that fuel quantity gage indications were low during the flight. While the airplane climbed out during a go-around, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The flight instructor made a forced landing and the airplane impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor attributed the inflight fuel planning error to a lack of recent flight instructor experience and the distractions of a challenging training environment.
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 approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 472 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 253 as pilot in command; 77 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 30, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,003 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 2021; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-200 SERIES (piston); 5,003 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRIV Harrah OK at 6:25 pm
- Destination: PRIV Harrah OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway N/A, 1,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KTIK, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTIK 011956Z AUTO 18010G18KT 10SM FEW055 35/20 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP122 T03460198
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 14, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.