Cessna 150M accident near Paxton, Illinois, February 3, 1999
On February 3, 1999 at about 4:31 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704BF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paxton, Illinois. It was a business 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 inadequate preflight planning by the pilot in command and the exhaustion of usable fuel. Factors were the tailwind landing condition and the rough terrain at the landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1999 · about 4:31 pm local time
- Place
- Paxton, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704BF · registry record · serial 15078476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after flying for 2.5 hours, he decided to land at an airport near Champaign, Illinois, and missed the airport due to the wind. The pilot stated that he then diverted to Paxton, Illinois, and after six attempts was unable to locate the airport. The pilot stated that the airplane ran out of fuel and he declared an emergency. An off airport landing was made into a plowed farm field 2.5 miles west of the Paxton Airport. The forced landing was made on a heading of 020 degrees. A weather report for a reporting station located 27 nautical miles and 190 degrees from the accident site reported winds from 180 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 26 knots. The left wing fuel tank contained no fuel and the right wing fuel tank contained less than one cupful of fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed no other anomalies.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 836 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 745 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,036 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 4, 1999; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 17KS Chanute KS at 1:10 pm
- Destination: Detroit MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from CMI, 27 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.