# Accident 20010616014319A: Cessna 150E, Burbank, CA, June 16, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 16, 2001, 19:45 local time - Place: Burbank, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.1967° N, 118.3014° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1967&lon=-118.3014&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3937U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3937U-2018-01-04) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 150E (registry code 2071812, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150e) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150E - Reported engine: LYC O320* - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 1,100 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA213) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010616014319A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON JUNE 16, 2001, ABOUT 1945 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150E, N3937U, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING A BANNER TOW OPERATION OVER BURBANK, CALIFORNIA. DURING THE PILOT'S FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED VEGETATION-COVERED TERRAIN BEHIND A RESIDENCE AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE WHITEMAN AIRPORT, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1915. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT HE LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE TOWING THE BANNER, AND AT THE TIME HE WAS LOW ON FUEL. ACCORDING TO AN OFFICER FROM THE BURBANK POLICE DEPARTMENT, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS. (-23) MR. LATHAM ADMITTED THAT "FUEL SHORTAGE" WAS THE REASON HE LOST POWER WHILE TOWING A BANNER NEAR BUR AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT HE ESTIMATED THE FUEL IN HIS TANKS TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT BASED ON A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL IN THE TANKS AND ON THE GAUGES WHICH BOTH READ ABOUT 1/4 TANK. HE THEN DEPARTED ON A 40 MINUTE FLIGHT. AFTER 26 MINUTES HE LOST POWER AND IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN JUST EAST OF THE BUR AIRPORT. THIS INVESTIGATION BY THE AIRWORTHINESS UNIT OF THE VAN NUYS FSDO IS CLOSED. RESULTS WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE OPERATIONS UNIT FOR THEIR EVALUATION. (.4) ON JUNE 16, 2001, ABOUT 1945 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150E, N3937U, EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING A BANNER TOW OPERATION OVER BURBANK, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY RED BARON AIR, IN PACOIMA, CALIFORNIA, AND WAS OWNED BY THE PILOT. DURING THE PILOT'S FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED VEGETATION-COVERED TERRAIN BEHIND A RESIDENCE AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGH ORIGINATED FROM THE WHITEMAN AIRPORT, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1915. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT HE HAD REQUESTED HIS AIRPLANE BE REFUELED PRIOR TO TAKING OFF. HOWE VER, AFTER WAITING ABOUT 55 MINUTES THE FUEL TRUCK HAD NOT SERVICED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE THEN CHECKED THE TANKS VISUALLY, AND THE FUELGAUGES INDICATED 1/4-FULL. BELIEVING THAT HE HAD ADEQUATE FUEL FOR THE PLANNED 40-MINUTE-LONG FLIGHT, HE TOOK OFF. THE PILOT FURTHER INDICATED THAT AFTER FLYING FOR ABOUT 26 MINUTES HE EXPERIENCED THE FIRST INDICATIONS OF FUEL STARVATION. HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE NEAREST AIRPORT, SO HE MADE A FORCED LANDING WITHOUT ENGINE POWER ON A HILLSIDE. A BURBANK POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICER VERBALLY REPORTED TO THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS. IN THE PILOT'S COMPLETED ACCIDENT REPORT, HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE HAD PRECIPITATED THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD ABOUT 4,000 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME, OF WHICH 1,100 HOURS WERE ACQUIRED FLYING THE CESSNA 150. HE HELD A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE FOR AIRPLANES, AN INSTRUMENT RATING, AND AN AIRFRAME AND ENGINE POWERPLANT CERTIFICATE. ## 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 LAX01LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA213), Jun 17, 2001: Cessna 150E (N3937U), Burbank, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion while maneuvering during a banner tow flight due to an inadequate fuel supply. A factor was the pilot's improper 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.