What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
CFI was interviewed by lax FSDO inspector outside [address] at approximately 10:30AM on Monday January 6, 2025. CFI stated that he was the PIC of privacy data omitted and was giving instruction to student at the time. CFI stated that himself and student arrived at El Monte airport at approximately 05:30AM, where student performed a preflight check of the aircraft.
CFI stated that the aircraft had seven (7) gallons of fuel, which was verified by dipping the tanks. CFI stated that the aircraft burned approx. three (3) gal/hr at 2100RPM and since the majority of the lesson was intended to be pattern work, he was only going to be at full power for a short period of time. He surmised that the seven (7) gallons dipped, was enough for the planned 1 – 1.5-hour flight.
When asked where his calculations came from, CFI referenced a Cessna 150D operatinghandbook which he had available on his phone. When asked about how unusable fuel factored into his calculations, CFI confidently replied that unusable fuel was that fuel contained in the fuel lines, and not the fuel that was inaccessible in the fuel tank. However, CFI did admit that the most likely cause, was that they ran out of fuel.
Following the preflight, CFI conducted a ground lesson starting approximately 06:30AM, introducing student to the traffic pattern. Student had completed lessons on basic maneuvers and at 11 – 12 hours, was ready to begin his first flight in the pattern.
privacy data omittedTook off at approximately 07:00AM initially flying to the practice area to recap simulated pattern and air work. privacy data omittedThen returned to the EMT pattern, where CFI stated he demonstrated a couple of patterns to a low approach on runway 01, before letting his student perform three patterns to a low approach. During the third climb out, at approximately 300FT, CFI stated that the engine coughed and spluttered before dying. Taking the controls from his student, CFI stated that he initially lined up the aircraft for a road, but when maneuvering to wings level, the engine started again, so he readjusted his landing position to duck under a power line and ended up clipping several trees before coming to rest on top of the fence and shrubbery, close to the house.
CFI and student were unable to exit the aircraft via the doors, as the doors were held shut by branches and bent metal. CFI unpinned the window hinge, and they exited the aircraft via the passenger side window.
As the FAA filed it
CFI WAS INTERVIEWED BY LAX FSDO INSPECTOR OUTSIDE [ADDRESS] AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30AM ON MONDAY JANUARY 6, 2025. CFI STATED THAT HE WAS THE PIC OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND WAS GIVING INSTRUCTION TO STUDENT AT THE TIME. CFI STATED THAT HIMSELF AND STUDENT ARRIVED AT EL MONTE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 05:30AM, WHERE STUDENT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT CHECK OF THE AIRCRAFT.
CFI STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD SEVEN (7) GALLONS OF FUEL, WHICH WAS VERIFIED BY DIPPING THE TANKS. CFI STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BURNED APPROX. THREE (3) GAL/HR AT 2100RPM AND SINCE THE MAJORITY OF THE LESSON WAS INTENDED TO BE PATTERN WORK, HE WAS ONLY GOING TO BE AT FULL POWER FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. HE SURMISED THAT THE SEVEN (7) GALLONS DIPPED, WAS ENOUGH FOR THE PLANNED 1 – 1.5-HOUR FLIGHT.
WHEN ASKED WHERE HIS CALCULATIONS CAME FROM, CFI REFERENCED A CESSNA 150D OPERATINGHANDBOOK WHICH HE HAD AVAILABLE ON HIS PHONE. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HOW UNUSABLE FUEL FACTORED INTO HIS CALCULATIONS, CFI CONFIDENTLY REPLIED THAT UNUSABLE FUEL WAS THAT FUEL CONTAINED IN THE FUEL LINES, AND NOT THE FUEL THAT WAS INACCESSIBLE IN THE FUEL TANK. HOWEVER, CFI DID ADMIT THAT THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE, WAS THAT THEY RAN OUT OF FUEL.
FOLLOWING THE PREFLIGHT, CFI CONDUCTED A GROUND LESSON STARTING APPROXIMATELY 06:30AM, INTRODUCING STUDENT TO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. STUDENT HAD COMPLETED LESSONS ON BASIC MANEUVERS AND AT 11 – 12 HOURS, WAS READY TO BEGIN HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN THE PATTERN.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^TOOK OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 07:00AM INITIALLY FLYING TO THE PRACTICE AREA TO RECAP SIMULATED PATTERN AND AIR WORK. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^THEN RETURNED TO THE EMT PATTERN, WHERE CFI STATED HE DEMONSTRATED A COUPLE OF PATTERNS TO A LOW APPROACH ON RUNWAY 01, BEFORE LETTING HIS STUDENT PERFORM THREE PATTERNS TO A LOW APPROACH. DURING THE THIRD CLIMB OUT, AT APPROXIMATELY 300FT, CFI STATED THAT THE ENGINE COUGHED AND SPLUTTERED BEFORE DYING. TAKING THE CONTROLS FROM HIS STUDENT, CFI STATED THAT HE INITIALLY LINED UP THE AIRCRAFT FOR A ROAD, BUT WHEN MANEUVERING TO WINGS LEVEL, THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN, SO HE READJUSTED HIS LANDING POSITION TO DUCK UNDER A POWER LINE AND ENDED UP CLIPPING SEVERAL TREES BEFORE COMING TO REST ON TOP OF THE FENCE AND SHRUBBERY, CLOSE TO THE HOUSE.
CFI AND STUDENT WERE UNABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT VIA THE DOORS, AS THE DOORS WERE HELD SHUT BY BRANCHES AND BENT METAL. CFI UNPINNED THE WINDOW HINGE, AND THEY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT VIA THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.