# Accident 20010525009849A: Cessna 150H, Matiposa, CA, May 25, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 25, 2001, 15:20 local time - Place: Matiposa, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.4897° N, 120.0008° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4897&lon=-120.0008&mi=10 - Aircraft: N23474, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N23474-2013-08-27) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 150H (registry code 2071818, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150h) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150H - Reported engine: LYC O360A4A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,978 total, 500 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA192) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010525009849A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) MR. LOUIS E. FRICKE, PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N23474, A CE-150-H DEPARTED FROM WHITEMAN FIELD (WHP), CA ENROUTE TO PINE MOUNTAIN LAKE (Q68) CA. 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF Q68 THE AIRCRAFTS ENGINE QUIT BECAUSE OF FUEL STARVATION. MR. FRICKE ADMITTED THAT HE MISTAKENLY THOUGHT HE HAD FILLED BOTH TANKS FULL OF FUEL AT WHP. THE RESULT WAS HAVING INADEQUATE FUEL ON BOARD TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON A FIRE BREAK CLEARING AND TURNED OVER ON ITS BACK CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR. (.19)ON MAY 25, 2001, AT 1649 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150H, N23474, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR MARIPOSA, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE CERTIFICATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED WHITEMAN AIRPORT, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (.4) ON MAY 25, 2001, AT 1520 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150H, N23474, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION NEAR MARIPOSA, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE CERTIFICATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED WHITEMAN AIRPORT, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AT 1315, AND WAS DESTINED FOR PINE MOUNTAIN LAKE AIRPORT AT GROVELAND, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. IN HIS REPORT TO THE SAFETY BOARD, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED AFTER 2.1 HOURS OF FLIGHT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 16 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AND WITH THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATING 1/8 FULL. HE ATTRIBUTED THE FUEL EXHAUSTION TO AN INTERRUPTION THAT OCCURRED DURING HIS (SELF) FUELING OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN THE FUEL TANKS NOT BEING TOTALLY FULL ON TAKEOFF. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, AS HE WAS FILLING THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK BEFORE TAKEOFF, HE WAS INTERRUPTED BY ANOTHER PILOT WHO ASKED HIS ASSISTANCE WITH OPERATION OF THE SELF-FUELING EQUIPMENT. HE COMPLETED FILLING THE LEFT TANK AND STOPPED TO ASSIST THE OTHER PILOT. HE RETURNED TO HIS AIRPLANE ABOUT 10 OR 15 MINUTES LATER, FILLED THE RIGHT-WING TANK, AND DEPARTED. IN HIS REPORT, HE STATED HE BELIEVED THAT, DURING THE INTERRUPTION, A PORTION OF THE FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK FLOWED ACROSS THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT TANK AND, AFTER HE FILLED THE RIGHT TANK, THE LEFT TANK WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 GALLONS BELOW CAPACITY. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO INSTALL A LARGER ENGINE THAN THE ORIGINAL AND HAD A 24-GALLON USABLE FUEL CAPACITY. THE PILOT REPORTED MAKING THE TRIP BETWEEN WHITEMAN AND PINE MOUNTAIN LAKE REGULARLY. ASSUMING A ZERO TO 5-KNOT HEADWIND, THE TRIP ROUTINELY REQUIRED 20.3 OR 20.4 GALLONS TO COMPLETE. HE REPORTED THAT, ON PAST FLIGHTS AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AND POWER SETTING, THE ENGINE CONSUMED 9.17 GALLONS PER HOUR (2.6 HOURS ENDURANCE). ## 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 LAX01LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA192), May 25, 2001: Cessna 150H (N23474), Mariposa, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly refuel the aircraft which resulted in departure with an inadequate quantity of fuel onboard. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.