Cessna 150L accident near Corydon, Indiana, January 17, 2004
On January 17, 2004, a Cessna 150L, registered N17254, was substantially damaged in an accident near Corydon, Indiana. 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
The student pilot become lost during the cross country flight and the instructor's inadequate supervision of both the flight and preflight planning. This led to the in-flight loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, a forced landing, and impact with trees. Factors contributing to the accident were poor preflight planning, fuel exhaustion, inadequate training, night conditions, and the student's lack of cross country and night experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2004
- Place
- Corydon, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N17254 · registry record · serial 15073690
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with trees during a forced landing due to fuel exhaustion. The accident occurred during the student's first solo cross country flight. The flight was planned from the Madison Municipal Airport (IMS), Madison, Indiana, to the Hook Municipal Airport (MWO), Middletown, Ohio, with a return leg to IMS. The student reported that during the first leg he overflew MWO and landed at the Green-County-Jackson Regional Airport (I19), in Dayton, Ohio. I19 is approximately 21 nautical miles past MWO. After receiving directions, he departed I19 for MWO where he landed and had his logbook signed. The student then departed for IMS. The student stated that while en route it became dark. The student over shot IMS by about 48 nautical miles. The student stated he did not know where he was until he saw a water tower with an unfamiliar town name on it. The student reported the engine then quit due to fuel exhaustion. He stalled the airplane just above treetops in a wooded area during the forced landing. The airplane settled through the trees coming to rest inverted. The student pilot had a total of 30 hours of flight time, and no night flight time had been logged in his logbook. A review of the student's navigational logs for the flights showed they were not complete or accurate.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,436.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 6, 2003; 51.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWO Middletown OH at 10:35 pm
- Destination: IMS Madison IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from LOU, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.