| Crash location | 40.087777°N, 76.272778°W |
| Nearest city | Lancaster, PA
40.016765°N, 76.333016°W 5.9 miles away |
| Tail number | N7842E |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 28 Jun 2007 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 150 |
| Additional details: | None |
At approximately 1518 eastern daylight time, the owner/pilot of a Cessna 150 conducted an emergency landing off-airport in a cornfield after a total loss of engine power. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to local law enforcement personnel, the pilot said he departed Smoketown Airport (S37), Smoketown, Pennsylvania, at approximately 1345. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that was on scene, the fuel quantity remaining was less than the manufacturer's published minimum fuel required for engine operation in flight. The inspector did not report any fuel tank damage or leaks. Additionally, the inspector reported that the pilot's third class medical certificate had expired in May 2003, that the pilot did not meet the Flight Review currency requirements, and that the ELT battery was beyond its expiration date. The pilot failed field sobriety tests administered to him on-site by a local law enforcement officer, and a breathalyzer test yielded an alcohol concentration reading of 0.153 percent blood alcohol. FAR 91.17(a) specifies a maximum blood alcohol concentration of less than 0.04 percent.
The pilot's decision to conduct the flight while impaired by alcohol, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and substantial damage to the airplane during the subsequent forced landing.