Cessna 150K N5DT

Summary

On 16 September 1995 at about 18:45 local time, a Cessna 150K registered N5DT was involved in an accident near Victoria, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 September 1995 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Victoria, Texas, United States

Coordinates

28.8191, -96.9800

Aircraft

Cessna 150K

Registration

N5DT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Halletsville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA400

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED HIS 'FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL' ON THE CROSS COUNTRY TRIP FROM FRANKSTON, TEXAS, TO VICTORIA, TEXAS. HE LANDED SHORT OF VICTORIA AT HALLETSVILLE AND PERFORMED A 'VISUAL' CHECK OF THE TANKS WHICH SHOWED 'ONE QUARTER IN EACH TANK.' THE HALLETSVILLE AIRPORT 'WAS DESERTED' AND HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE ON TO VICTORIA WITHOUT REFUELING. WHILE ON BASE LEG FOR LANDING AT VICTORIA, THE PILOT MADE A 360 DEGREE TURN FOR SPACING. UPON COMPLETION OF THE TURN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE TO A WATER-FILLED RICE FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE AIRPLANE, 'ONE QUARTER IN EACH TANK' EQUATES TO A TOTAL OF 3 GALLONS USABLE FUEL. CALCULATIONS BASED ON THE MANUFACTURER'S PERFORMANCE DATA INDICATED THE 25 MINUTE FLIGHT FROM HALLETSVILLE TO VICTORIA REQUIRED APPROXIMATELY 3 GALLONS OF FUEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.