20060726014939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 150J · Napa, CA · July 26, 2006

Date: July 26, 2006 · 08:45 local
Place: Napa, CA
Airport: Napa County Airport
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N60816
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX06CA245
Reported as: Cessna 150J
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 280 total250 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N60816Registration cancelled May 6, 2015 · Cessna 150JS/N 15070596 · Built 1969 Airframe modelCessna 150J Engine modelContinental 0-200 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot stated that he checked fuel by sticking the tanks with a glass tube. He stated it showed five to six gallons in the right tank and none in the left tank. It was a fifteen minute flight and he believed he had enough fuel. As he approached Napa (apc) he called the tower and they told him to standby as they had IFR traffic to get off before they could handle a special vrf traffic. The pilot stated that he started to circle around Mt. George with the dry tank on the high side of the turn. The tank with the fuel was un-ported and the engine quit. The pilot attempted to re-start the engine, but was not able to get full power once it started. The engine quit again and the pilot was too FAR from the airport and attempted to land off airport. He landed in a park about four miles from the airport. The landing was on all three landing gear and the nose wheel assembly collapsed and the aircraft flipped over.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE CHECKED FUEL BY STICKING THE TANKS WITH A GLASS TUBE. HE STATED IT SHOWED FIVE TO SIX GALLONS IN THE RIGHT TANK AND NONE IN THE LEFT TANK. IT WAS A FIFTEEN MINUTE FLIGHT AND HE BELIEVED HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL. AS HE APPROACHED NAPA (APC) HE CALLED THE TOWER AND THEY TOLD HIM TO STANDBY AS THEY HAD IFR TRAFFIC TO GET OFF BEFORE THEY COULD HANDLE A SPECIAL VRF TRAFFIC. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE STARTED TO CIRCLE AROUND MT. GEORGE WITH THE DRY TANK ON THE HIGH SIDE OF THE TURN. THE TANK WITH THE FUEL WAS UN-PORTED AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RE-START THE ENGINE, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO GET FULL POWER ONCE IT STARTED. THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN AND THE PILOT WAS TOO FAR FROM THE AIRPORT AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND OFF AIRPORT. HE LANDED IN A PARK ABOUT FOUR MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THE LANDING WAS ON ALL THREE LANDING GEAR AND THE NOSE WHEEL ASSEMBLY COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX06CA245Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportNapa, CAa 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…Jul 26, 2006 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N60816 · 1

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

Accident 19860224071519AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Los Banos, CAPilot became disoriented. Engine failed from fuel exhaustion. Landed in a shallow drainage ditch at night.Feb 24, 1986 · Substantial damage