# Accident 20130126001809A: Cessna 152, Merced, CA, January 26, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 26, 2013, 16:18 local time
- Place: Merced, CA
- Airport: Atwater/Castle
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: SRJS
- Location: 37.3750° N, 120.5678° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3750&lon=-120.5678&mi=10
- Aircraft: N68757, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N68757-2014-03-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 41 total, 41 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA106) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130126001809A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 26, 2013, STUDENT PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS OPERATING AS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF A CESSNA 152, N68757, FROM THE ATWATER AIRPORT (KMER)TO THE LOCAL PRACTICE AREA, NEAR TURLOCK, CA.   THE PILOT DEPARTED KMER SOMETIME AFTER 1630 PST (WITH WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS "HALF TANKS") OF FUEL AND EXPERIENCED ENGINE FUEL STARVATION AT 1815 PST.    THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE HOBBS METER READING OF 1.7 HOURS AND THE FUEL DEPLETION OF APPROXIMATLEY 12 GALLONS.  DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE USUALLY USES 6 GALLONS PER HOUR.    THE PILOT EXPLAINED TO ATC THAT HE WAS LOST AND COULD NOT FIND THE ATWATER/ CASTLE AIRPORT.   NIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND HE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIND THE AIRPORT.   RADAR VECTORS WERE GIVEN TO THE STUDENT PILOT AND HE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE WHEN ON DOWNWIND.  HE SET UP FOR A GLIDE AND LANDED IN A FIELD THAT WAS SOFT AND NOSED OVER DAMAGING THE FIREWALL AND VERTICAL STABILIZER.    ONLY 1/2 GALLON OF FUEL WAS ABLE TO BE DRAINED FROM EACH WING AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS MOVED TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE UNUSABLE AMOUNT PER THE PILOTS OPERATING HANDBOOK IS 1/2 GALLON PER WING.

## 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 WPR13LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA106), Jan 27, 2013: Cessna 152 (N68757), Atwater, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's inadequate flight planning, which resulted in his getting lost and not being able to return to the airport before the fuel was exhausted and the engine lost power.

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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