Cessna 150 accident near Charlestown, Indiana, December 13, 1991
On December 13, 1991, a Cessna 150, registered N60040, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlestown, Indiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY AN AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 1991
- Place
- Charlestown, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N60040 · registry record · serial 15070026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING THE NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. ALSO, THE RIGHT WING FUEL TRANSMITTER WAS INOPERABLE, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE FUEL USAGE IN THE PAST.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Business Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 10:38 pm
- Destination: RNA Nashville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from LOU, 20 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.