Cessna 150J N60816

Summary

On 26 July 2006 at about 15:45 local time, a Cessna 150J registered N60816 was involved in an accident near Napa, 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

26 July 2006 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Napa, California, United States

Nearest airport

Napa County Airport (KAPC)

Coordinates

38.2131, -122.2806

Aircraft

Cessna 150J

Registration

N60816

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vacaville → Napa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX06CA245

1 person had minor injuries.

a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. The fuel starvation was the result of the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation (failure to refuel the airplane before taking off) and his inadequate in-flight decision (to make right turns while holding) that directly led to an unporting of the right fuel tank.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane lost engine power and nosed over during a forced landing. The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and checked the fuel quantity in each wing tank using a fuel measuring stick. He reported that there was no fuel in the left fuel tank, and 5.5 gallons of usable fuel in the right fuel tank. The pilot stated that he had more than enough fuel for the expected 19-minute flight. He performed an engine run-up and executed a normal takeoff. After clearing the mountains west of the departure airport, he radioed the air traffic control tower at the destination airport and requested a special visual flight rules (SVFR) clearance for runway 18. The controller told the pilot to remain outside the class delta airspace and to expect a 10-minute delay for landing. The pilot remained outside the airspace by maneuvering in right circles over a landmark. The pilot said that at this point, the fuel in the right tank lost contact with the fuel pickup port and the engine lost power. The pilot could not make it to the airport from his location and chose to land in a field approximately 5 miles north of the airport. The pilot successfully landed in the field; however, when the nose wheel touched down it dug into the soil and the airplane nosed over. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane on scene and reported that he found no fuel in the left fuel tank and no more than 6 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.