- Date
- September 23, 1990, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Albemarle, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5BWCessna 150J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900923044909A
- Case key
- 8280
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 pilot's not obtaining an adequate fuel supply for his planned flight, resulting in fuel exhaustion.
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 pilot had planned a cross country sightseeing flight, with intermediate stops for fuel. At the first stop he only purchased a limited amount of fuel because of the high price. He did not purchase fuel at the second stop. On the final leg of the flight, the engine quit. Unable to glide to the nearest suitable airport, he force landed in a field, damaging the airplane. No fuel was found on board the airplane at the accident site, and the pilot acknowledged exhausting his fuel supply.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5BW
- Reported as
- Cessna 150J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15069426
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Metrolina Flying Club, Inc.
- Departed
- W44 · Asheboro, NC
- Destination
- 8A6 · Charlotte, NC
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 190 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CLT, 42 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.