Cessna 150M accident near Merrillville, Indiana, July 22, 1991
On July 22, 1991, a Cessna 150M, registered N714EC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merrillville, Indiana. It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PRE-FLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS'S INATTENTIVENESS CONCERNING THE REFUELING OF HIS AIRPLANE, AND INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY, INATTENTIVE GROUND PERSONNEL, AND INSUFFICIENT STANDARDS CONCERNING REFUELING OF AIRPLANES ON THE PART OF OPERATOR MANAGEMENT PERFORMING REFUELING OPERATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1991
- Place
- Merrillville, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N714EC · registry record · serial 15079111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE HAD ARRIVED AT AN AIRSHOW. HE PAID FOR REFUELING AND PROCEEDED TO OBSERVE THE AIRSHOW PERFORMANCE. UPON RETURN TO HIS AIRPLANE THE PILOT PRE-FLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE, TAXIED OUT, DEPARTED FOR HIS HOME BASE. WHEN APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES FROM HIS HOME BASE THE ENGINE CEASED OPERATION. THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN A SOFT SOILED BEAN FIELD AND NOSED OVER DURING ITS LANDING ROLL. AN ON SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED BOTH FUEL TANKS DEVOID OF FUEL. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT CHECK THE FUEL VISUALLY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Northern Aircraft INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DAY Dayton IN at 10:20 pm
- Destination: 05C Griffith IN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:45 pm from GYY, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI91LA221.