Cessna 150L accident near Meridian, Mississippi, December 6, 2024
On December 6, 2024 at about 7:35 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 150L, registered N5321Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Meridian, Mississippi (Key Field Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate verification of his student’s preflight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2024 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Meridian, Mississippi · Key Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L, built 1972 · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5321Q · registry record · serial 15073221
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and flight instructor were conducting an instructional cross-country flight when the airplane lost all engine power. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage during the forced landing into trees. Both wing fuel tanks remained intact, and no fuel was drained from either low point when sumped. The center fuselage drain point and firewall-mounted fuel strainers were actuated and produced about 1 tablespoon of fuel each. There were no observable indications of fuel leaking or fuel blight on nearby vegetation. The pilot reported that before the flight he fueled the airplane and estimated he had about 5 ½ hours of flight time. He stated that when planning for the cross-country flight he did not complete a detailed fuel burn calculation and that he did not use the pilot’s operating handbook to calculate fuel burn for the intended cruising altitude. The flight instructor stated that the pilot did not present a cross-country flight plan to him before the flight.
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 (IFR final approach) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (IFR final approach)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (IFR final approach)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 19, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,579 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 2024; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 9,600 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEI Meridian MS at 5:00 pm
- Destination: MEI Meridian MS
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 1:58 pm from KMEI, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMEI 061958Z 04008KT 10SM CLR 09/M11 A3037 RMK AO2 SLP284 I1000 T00941106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5321Q 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.