20230607011089A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 150F · Wishram, WA · June 7, 2023

Date: June 7, 2023 · 16:34 local
Place: Wishram, WA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7155F
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA222
Reported as: Cessna 150F
Reported engine: Continental 0-200 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,107 total473 in this make and model303 in the last 90 days

N7155FRegistered now · Cessna 150FS/N 15063755 · Built 1966 Airframe modelCessna 150F 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.

Pilot departed richland for aerial photography project with numerous locations along the columbia river. He intended on landing at the dalles airport after the project was complete. Due to a cloud layer causing inconsistent lighting for the photo project, the pilot diverted from the planned path and "held" until the lighting improved. Finished survey project about 15 miles east of the dalles airport. Around 9 miles east of the dalles pilot switched from seattle center to CTAF. While decending through 2,800' engine started experiencing partial power loss. Fuel gauges indicated 1/4 tank. Switched back to center and declared an emergency. Pilot determined that he would not be able to make it to the dalles airport. Planned power off approach to hillside. Touched down successfully but before pilot could arrest the forward roll of the airplane it encountered a ravine. The airplane rolled over its nose onto its back. No injuries.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED RICHLAND FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT WITH NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER. HE INTENDED ON LANDING AT THE DALLES AIRPORT AFTER THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETE. DUE TO A CLOUD LAYER CAUSING INCONSISTENT LIGHTING FOR THE PHOTO PROJECT, THE PILOT DIVERTED FROM THE PLANNED PATH AND "HELD" UNTIL THE LIGHTING IMPROVED. FINISHED SURVEY PROJECT ABOUT 15 MILES EAST OF THE DALLES AIRPORT. AROUND 9 MILES EAST OF THE DALLES PILOT SWITCHED FROM SEATTLE CENTER TO CTAF. WHILE DECENDING THROUGH 2,800' ENGINE STARTED EXPERIENCING PARTIAL POWER LOSS. FUEL GAUGES INDICATED 1/4 TANK. SWITCHED BACK TO CENTER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. PILOT DETERMINED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE DALLES AIRPORT. PLANNED POWER OFF APPROACH TO HILLSIDE. TOUCHED DOWN SUCCESSFULLY BUT BEFORE PILOT COULD ARREST THE FORWARD ROLL OF THE AIRPLANE IT ENCOUNTERED A RAVINE. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OVER ITS NOSE ONTO ITS BACK. NO INJURIES.

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 WPR23LA222Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportWishram, WAThe pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.Jun 7, 2023 · Substantial damage