- Date
- April 22, 2000, 10:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Waycross, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N60763Cessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000422012489A
- Case key
- 49026
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculation that resulted in the total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the subsequent collision with a utility pole.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The student pilot reported that he completed the preflight planning for the supervised solo cross-country flight that included a weather briefing. The student pilot was informed of the 35-knot headwind at his cruise altitude. The student pilot completed the preflight inspection of the airplane, which included topping-off the fuel tanks with aviation fuel. There were 22.5 gallons of fuel on board the airplane at takeoff and the student pilot estimated four hours of flight endurance to fuel exhaustion. Approximately three hours into the flight and 40 miles south of the planned refueling stop, the engine lost power. The student pilot attempted a forced landing to a nearby airport, but collided with a utility pole 1/4 mile south of the airport. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the student pilot.
Factual narrative
On April 22, 2000, at 1010 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150, N60763, collided with a utility pole while attempting a forced landing near Waycross, Georgia. The personal flight was operated by the student pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the student pilot was not injured. The flight departed the Bob White Airport in Zellwood, Florida, at 0730.
During the telephone conversation with, the student pilot reported that he and his flight instructor completed the preflight planning for the supervised solo cross-country flight. The student pilot stated that he received a weather briefing from St. Petersburg Flight Service Station, in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was informed of the 35-knot headwind at 7500 feet. The student pilot estimated that the headwind would reduce his ground speed to approximately 61 mph. According to the student pilot, the supervised solo flight planned destination was Helen, Georgia, with a planned refueling stop at Alma, Georgia.
The student pilot also said he completed the preflight inspection of the airplane which included topping-off the fuel tanks with aviation fuel. There were 22.5 gallons of fuel on board the airplane at takeoff and the student pilot estimated four hours of flight endurance to fuel exhaustion.
After takeoff, the pilot climbed to a cruise altitude of 7500 feet. After about 25 minutes of total engine operation, the student pilot reported level at his cruise altitude. The student pilot recalled that he set the engine rpm at 2300, and adjusted the mixture for his cruise altitude. About 40 miles south of Alma, Georgia, and approximately two hours and 40 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power. The student pilot attempted a forced landing at the Waycross-Ware County Airport. After realizing that he was too far from the airport for a safe landing, the student pilot attempted an off-airport landing. The airplane collided with a utility pole while the student pilot maneuvered for the forced landing.
No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the student pilot, but he reported that the airplane ran out of fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N60763
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Airframe hours
- 2,000
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John A. Bonner III
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 22, 2000 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- X61 · Zellwood, FL
- Destination
- Alma, GA
- Airport
- AYS · Waycross-Ware County, runway 36, 5,230 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 230 total · 80 in this make and model · 25 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Observed at
- JAX, 45 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.