# NTSB ATL01LA056: Cessna 150, N5854E, Griffin, GA, May 19, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 19, 2001, 11:52 local (15:52 UTC) - Place: Griffin, GA - Coordinates: 33.290046, -84.279823 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2900&lon=-84.2798&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 21, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Atlanta FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52289 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL01LA056 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52289/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA056 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning for the flight that resulted in the fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (contributing factor) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - object - fence (cause) ## Analysis Shortly after takeoff the engine lost power. During emergency landing , the airplane collided with two fences before coming to a stop. No fuel was found in the left tank. There was 3/4 inch of fuel in the right fuel tank. According to the pilots operating handbook the unusable fuel quantity is 3.5 gallons. No mechanical malfunction of the engine was found. ## Factual narrative On May 19, 2001, at 1152 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150, N5854E, collided with the ground and two fences during an emergency landing near Griffin, Georgia. The training flight was operated by the 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 certified flight instructor and the student pilot were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed a private airstrip in Griffin, Georgia, at 1150. Reportedly, this was the first flight after a maintenance inspection. Shortly after takeoff from the private airstrip, the engine lost power. The certified flight instructor selected the only available emergency landing area and attempted to land. During the emergency-landing roll, the airplane collided with two fences before coming to a stop in the field. During the examination of the airplane, no fuel was found in the left tank. When the right tank was checked it revealed 3/4 inch of fuel. According to the pilots operating handbook for the airplane, the unusable fuel quantity is 3.5 gallons. During the functional examination of the engine, it operated normally at the idle power range. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane. No evidence of mechanical engine failure was found. The pilot reported that the flight departed with approximately 17 gallons of aviation fuel on board. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5854E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5854E-2013-06-07), registration cancelled 2013-06-07, S/N 17354, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150 - Registry model: [Cessna 150](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150) (registry code 2071802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1735A - Airframe hours: 3535 - Engines: Continental 0200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Hal Darley - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 17, 2001, 0 hours before - Departed: 8GA9, GRIFFIN, GA - Destination: 8GA9, Griffin, GA - Airport: 8GA9, Brookbridge Aerodrome, runway 2, 3,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 28, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 24,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 15,000 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; injuries: none ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 9 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: FFC, 20 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010519010159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010519010159A), May 19, 2001: Cessna 150, Griffin, GA, No damage. (-23)On take-off during initial climb aircraft began to lose power. Pilot began to pump throttle and the engine responded at first but after a few pumps it… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.