# Accident 20080704840719A: Cessna 150J, Seal Beach, CA, July 4, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 4, 2008, 16:00 local time
- Place: Seal Beach, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7944° N, 118.0528° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7944&lon=-118.0528&mi=10
- Aircraft: N60486, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N60486-2015-05-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 150J (registry code 2071820, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (registry code 42270, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a4a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150J
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 768 total, 9 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX08CA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA215) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080704840719A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED COMPTON WOODLEY AIRPORT (CPM) WITH FULL FUEL LOAD IN THE WINGS 18 GALLONS EACH WING 36 GALLONS TOTAL.  FEW APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES PERFORMING BANNER TOWING OPERATIONS WITHOUT CHANGING FUEL TANKS.  ENGINE QUIT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN ABOUT 50 FEET FROM THE SHORE.  THE PILOT AND AIRCRAFT WERE RECOVERED TO THE SHORE BY CITIZENS ON THE BEACH.  INSPECTION ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FROM THE LAX FSFO AND RECOVER PERSONNEL EXAMINED BOTH FUEL TANKS FROM THE FILLER PORTS.  THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK SHOW A SMALL AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE BOTTOM.  THE RIGHT WING TANK WAS FOUND TO BE FULLUP TO THE NECK OF THE FILLER PORT.  AFTER REMOVAL OF THE DRAIN VALVE THE INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RECOVERED 1 GALLON OF 100 OCTANE AVIATION GASOLINE FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK.  THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE LEFT WING WERE PLACED IN A 1 GALLON RE-SEALABLE CONTAINER AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE LAX FSDO.  AFTER DRAINING THE FUEL FROM THE LEFT WING, THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS SELECTED TO THE RIGHT WING POSITION AND A FUEL SAMPLE WAS TAKEN FROM THE GASCOLATOR LOCATED ON THE LOWER FIREWALL.  APPROXIMATELY 8OZ OF FUEL AND NO CONTAMINANTS WERE FOUND IN THE FUEL SAMPLE.

## 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 LAX08CA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA215), Jul 4, 2008: Cessna 150J (N60486), Seal Beach, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel starvation due to the pilot's improper fuel management procedures and failure to select a tank containing fuel. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced…

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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