Cessna 150 accident near Washington, Missouri, February 20, 1995
On February 20, 1995 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N5255Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Washington, Missouri. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the CFI's failure to verify the fuel quantity prior to takeoff which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Factors related to the accident were the student's misjudgment of the fuel quantity and the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1995 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Washington, Missouri
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N5255Q · registry record · serial 15073155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI STATED THE STUDENT PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE AND REPORTED THE FUEL TANKS WERE HALF FULL. THE CFI FAILED TO VERIFY THE FUEL LEVEL. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT PLOWED FIELD.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 425 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 280 as pilot in command; 15 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,559 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 1995; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Phoenix Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MO49 MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from SUS, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.