# Accident 20010904027859A: Cessna 150J, Sonoma, CA, September 4, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 4, 2001, 20:30 local time
- Place: Sonoma, CA
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2404° N, 122.4610° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2404&lon=-122.4610&mi=10
- Aircraft: N51256, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N51256) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 150J (registry code 2071820, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150J
- Pilot certificates: Student
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA289) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010904027859A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AT 3000 FEET FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS, WHILE DESCENDING FROM 4000 FEET. HE THEN CHECKED ENGINE SETTINGS AND THE ENGINE QUIT. HE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RE-START IT, BUT THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A VINEYARD. THREE AND A HALF GAL. OF FUEL WERE DRAINED FROM THE L/H TANK, AND ONE GAL. FROM THE R/H TANK AND FEW DROPS OF FUEL WERE COLLECTED FROM THE FUEL BOWL. DURING ENGINE RUN UP IT STARTED NORMALLY. MAGNETOS OPERATIONS WAS NORMAL. PRIOR TO ENGINE RUN UP IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE. IN ORDER TO START THE ENGINE, DURING THIS TEST, THE PILOT HAD TO APPLY PRESSURE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. PILOT WAS AWARE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH BEING DEFECTIVE BEFORE TAKE OFF.

## 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 LAX01LA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA289), Sep 5, 2001: Cessna 150J (N51256), Sonoma, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight fuel consumption calculations and failure to ensure that adequate fuel was onboard the airplane prior to departure. A factor in the accident…

## Other reports on N51256 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20050108002319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050108002319A), Jan 8, 2005: Cessna 150J (N51256), Marana, AZ, Destroyed, 1 fatal. (-23) Witness stated that pilot had been circling his residence and that he last saw the aircraft making a turn heading back east towards his residence when he…

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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