# Accident 20200622006479A: Cessna 150L, Shelby, NC, June 22, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 22, 2020, 13:52 local time
- Place: Shelby, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2542° N, 81.5250° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2542&lon=-81.5250&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1718Q, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1718Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 150L (registry code 2071826, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150L
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 270 total, 11 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20CA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA226) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200622006479A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 22, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 11752Z, A CESSNA 150 SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT, N1718Q DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM THE PITT-GREENVILLE AIRPORT (KPGV) ENROUTE TO THE SHELBY-CLEVELAND REGIONAL AIRPORT (KEHO).  THE PERSONNEL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 OPERATING RULES.  THERE WAS ONE PERSON ON BOARD.  THE FLIGHT OBTAINED VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING FROM ATC

THEN ENROUTE PORTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS UN-EVENTFUL.  UPON CONTACT WITH CHARLOTTE APPROACH, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A DESCENT FROM 6500? TO 5500? APPROXIMATELY 72 NM EAST OF THE KEHO AIRPORT.  A SECOND DESCENT WAS ISSUED TO 4500? APPROXIMATELY 60 NM EAST OF KEHO.  WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS 15 NM EAST OF THE KEHO AIRPORT, THEY CANCELLED FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND BEGAN A DESCENT TO THE AIRPORT.  WHEN THE PILOT INITIATED THE DESCENT, THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH.  THE PILOT PUMPED THE THROTTLE BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND.  THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 4 NM EAST OF THE KEHO AIRPORT AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT.  UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND THE NOSE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP ON ITS NOSE AND RESTED IN A VERTICAL POSITION.  THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT ANY INJURIES.

INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

THE PRIOR FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED ON JUNE 20, 2020 FROM KEHO TO KRWI.  THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE KEHO WITH FULL FUEL TANKS.  UPON LANDING AT KPGV, THE PILOT HAD THE AIRCRAFT TOPPED OFF WITH 18.7 GALLONS OF 100 LL.  THE 208 NM FLIGHT TOOK 2.4 HOURS.

THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFTS FUEL TANKS WERE DIPPED WITH A GLASS TUBE INDICATING FUEL QUANTITY IN EACH TANK.  A READING OF ZERO GALLONS OCCURRED FROM BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT TANK.

THE PILOT STRAINED THE WHOLE FUEL SYSTEM LATER THAT EVENING AND REPORTED TO INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THAT HE ONLY GOT 3 GALLONS OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM HOLDS A TOTAL OF 26 GALLONS, 13 PER SIDE WITH A TOTAL USEABLE FUEL OF 22.5 GALLONS.

## 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 ERA20CA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA226), Jun 22, 2020: Cessna 150 (N1718Q), Shelby, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight and inflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.

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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