Cessna 150E N3937U

Summary

On 17 June 2001 at about 02:45 local time, a Cessna 150E registered N3937U, operated by Red Baron Air, was involved in an accident near Burbank, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 June 2001 at 02:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Burbank, California, United States

Coordinates

34.1967, -118.3014

Aircraft

Cessna 150E

Registration

N3937U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Red Baron Air

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Los Angeles → Los Angeles

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX01LA213

1 person had minor injuries.

Fuel exhaustion while maneuvering during a banner tow flight due to an inadequate fuel supply. A factor was the pilot's improper preflight preparation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After waiting about 55 minutes for a fuel truck to service his airplane, the pilot noted that the airplane's fuel tank gauges registered 1/4-full, so he took off on the banner tow flight. Fuel exhaustion occurred about 26 minutes later. Unable to reach the nearest airport, the pilot made a forced landing on a hillside. A police officer examined the airplane and reported that no fuel was found in its tanks. The pilot indicated that no mechanical malfunction or failure had precipitated the loss of engine power. The pilot had about 4,000 hours of flight time, of which 1,100 hours were acquired flying the Cessna 150. He held a certified flight instructor certificate for airplanes, an instrument rating, and an airframe and engine powerplant certificate.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.