# Accident 20180203006129A: Cessna 150J, El Dorado, KS, February 3, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 3, 2018, 19:06 local time
- Place: El Dorado, KS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.8700° N, 96.6900° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8700&lon=-96.6900&mi=10
- Aircraft: N61024, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61024-2018-12-12) (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
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 95 total, 80 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA124) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180203006129A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT N61024 WAS FLOWN FROM WESTPORT AIRPORT, WICHITA, KS TO LAWRENCE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LAWRENCE, KS AND THEN WAS ENROUTE, VFR NIGHT; BACK TO WESTPORT AIRPORT WHEN WICHITA TOWER RECEIVED A MAYDAY CALL FROM THE AIRCRAFT. WICHITA ATC WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE MAYDAY CALL WAS RECEIVED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER AND AN ENGINE RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED WITHOUT SUCCESS. PILOT PERFORMED AN OFF-AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CULTIVATED FIELD APPROXIMATELY 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF EL DORADO AIRPORT, EL DORADO, KS. THE NOSE WHEEL WAS DAMAGED AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP AND COME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. THE EMPENAGE, VERTICAL STABILIZER, AND RUDDER WERE DAMAGED. PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS SET BACK UPRIGHT. PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS VERIFIED.  INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF A GALLON OF FUEL DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT WING AND APPROXIMATELY 8 OUNCES DRAINED FROM THE LEFT WING. APPROXIMATELY 4 OUNCES OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE GASCOLATOR. THE ACCIDENT SITE DID NOT SHOW ANY INDICATIONS OF A FUEL LEAK AND FIRST RESPONDERS REPORTED NO SMELL OF FUEL. INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINE FOUND THAT ALL CYLINDERS ARE PRODUCING COMPRESSION, BOTH MAGNETOS ARE PRODUCING SPARK TO ALL CYLINDERS EXCEPT THE UPPER NUMBER 3 LEAD DID NOT SPARK, AND VALVE TRAIN OPERATION WAS VISUALLY VERIFIED.

FUEL RECORDS FROM THE OWNER INDICATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED WITH 17.7 GALLONS OF 100LL ON FEBRUARY 03, 2018 PRIOR TO TAKE OFF FROM WESTPORT AIRPORT, WICHITA, KS. THE PILOT ANNOTATED THAT NO FUEL WAS ADDED AFTER THE AIRCRAFT LEFT WESTPORT AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT OWNER RECORDS AND HOBBS METER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN FOR A TOTAL OF 3.6 HOURS ON FEBRUARY 03, 2018.

## 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 GAA18CA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA124), Feb 4, 2018: Cessna 150 (N61024), El Dorado, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent off-airport landing and nose-over.

## Other reports on N61024 (1)

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

- [Accident 19800810035029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800810035029A), Aug 10, 1980: Cessna 150J (N61024), Horton, KS, Substantial damage. Landed downwind by mistake. Ran off end of runway through a fence and nosed over.

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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