# Accident 19970512009979A: Cessna A150M, Freeland, WA, May 12, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 12, 1997, 18:15 local time
- Place: Freeland, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.0109° N, 122.5399° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.0109&lon=-122.5399&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7557A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7557A-2000-07-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A150M (registry code 2071831, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a150m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A150M
- Reported engine: CONT O200A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 975 total, 38 in this make and model, 123 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA97LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA111) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970512009979A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

WHILE RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT OF INITIAL DEPARTURE AFTER PRACTICING LANDINGS AT ANOTHER AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD DURING LIGHT RAIN. DURING HIS APPROACH TO THE FIELD, HE ALLOWED HIS AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE TO GET TOO HIGH, AND HE MISSED HIS TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE AIRCRAFT INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN AFTER PASING OVER TWO-THIRDS OF THE AVAILABLE LANDING DISTANCE, AND THEN BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN ON THE WET GRASS, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DISTANCE REMAINING TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO TAKEOF, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD DETERMINED THE TOTAL FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT BY ALLOWING THE STUDENT PILOT TO DIP THE TANKS WITH A HOMEMADE WOODEN MEASURING STICK. THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT MONITOR THE STUDENT AS HE MADE THE MEASUREMENTS, BUT SIMPLY TOOK HIS WORD FOR WHAT THE MEASUREMENTS WERE. BASED UPON THOSE MEASUREMENTS, THE INSTRUCTOR ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ABOUT 11 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, 1.5 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE FOUND IN THE LEFT WING, 2.5 GALLONS WERE FOUND IN THE RIGHT WING, AND ONE OUNCE OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, OF THE POSSIBLE 26 GALLONS OF TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY, 3.5 GALONS ARE UNUSABLE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA97LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA111), May 13, 1997: Cessna 150M (N7557A), Freeland, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the flight instructor's failure to insure there was proper fuel in the aircraft and the flight instructor's misjudgment of his altitude and airspeed while executing a power-off…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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