# NTSB CEN09CA021: Cessna 150M, N533JR, Iowa City, IA, October 7, 2008

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 6, 2008, 20:15 local (Oct 7, 2008, 01:15 UTC)
- Place: Iowa City, IA
- Coordinates: 41.63972, -91.547225 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6397&lon=-91.5472&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report December 3, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA-Des Moines FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 69296
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09CA021
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69296/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA021

## Probable cause

Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to visually verify that sufficient fuel was on-board prior to flight.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Action: incomplete action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 105 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot planned a local night flight to an airport approximately 16 miles north-northwest of the departure airport. He noted that the fuel gauges indicated nearly full on the left fuel tank and about 1/3 on the right fuel tank. The pilot indicated that he had not visually checked the fuel level prior to flight, but had relied on the fuel gauge indications. He reported that after departure, the flight proceeded to the intermediate airport as planned. He executed a practice Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach and landed without incident. The pilot stated that before the return flight, the fuel gauges indicated "a little less than full" on the left fuel tank and about 1/4 on the right fuel tank. After takeoff, the flight proceeded direct to the intended destination at 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl). With no reported traffic in the area, the pilot selected a straight-in approach. However, about 3/4 of a mile from the runway the engine began to lose power. His efforts to restore full power were not successful. The mixture control had not been adjusted after takeoff and was at full rich for the entire flight. He attempted to stretch the glide to reach the runway, but the left wing struck a tree during the approach. The airplane subsequently impacted an adjacent roadway. A post accident inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuel tanks did not appear to be breached, and that only a small amount of fuel remained in the fuel tanks. A review of the airplane flight log and fueling records revealed that it had been flown 3.4 hours since it was last refueled. Manufacturer's documentation noted that the airplane’s fuel capacity was 26 gallons total, with 22.5 gallons usable. Fuel consumption ranged from 4.9 gallons per hour (gph) at 65-percent power to 5.9 gph at 78-percent power (full throttle) at 2,000 feet pressure altitude. Approximately an additional 0.8 gallons are consumed during start-up, taxi, and takeoff.

## Factual narrative

The pilot planned a local night flight to an airport approximately 16 miles north-northwest of the departure airport. He noted that the fuel gauges indicated nearly full on the left fuel tank and about 1/3 on the right fuel tank. The pilot indicated that he had not visually checked the fuel level prior to flight, but had relied on the fuel gauge indications. He reported that after departure, the flight proceeded to the intermediate airport as planned. He executed a practice Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach and landed without incident. The pilot stated that before the return flight, the fuel gauges indicated "a little less than full" on the left fuel tank and about 1/4 on the right fuel tank. After takeoff, the flight proceeded direct to the intended destination at 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl). With no reported traffic in the area, the pilot selected a straight-in approach. However, about 3/4 of a mile from the runway the engine began to lose power. His efforts to restore full power were not successful. The mixture control had not been adjusted after takeoff and was at full rich for the entire flight. He attempted to stretch the glide to reach the runway, but the left wing struck a tree during the approach. The airplane subsequently impacted an adjacent roadway. A post accident inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuel tanks did not appear to be breached, and that only a small amount of fuel remained in the fuel tanks. A review of the airplane flight log and fueling records revealed that it had been flown 3.4 hours since it was last refueled. Manufacturer's documentation noted that the airplane’s fuel capacity was 26 gallons total, with 22.5 gallons usable. Fuel consumption ranged from 4.9 gallons per hour (gph) at 65-percent power to 5.9 gph at 78-percent power (full throttle) at 2,000 feet pressure altitude. Approximately an additional 0.8 gallons are consumed during start-up, taxi, and takeoff.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N533JR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N533JR-2010-07-14), registration cancelled 2010-07-14, S/N 15077267, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150M
- Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15077267
- Airframe hours: 5386
- Engines: CONT MOTOR O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Jet Air Inc
- Registered owner: Jet Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 24, 2008
- Departed: CID, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Destination: IOW, Iowa City, IA
- Airport: IOW, Iowa City Muni, runway 12, 3,900 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: serious; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 8, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 2,724 total, 722 in this make and model, 2,254 as pilot in command, 117 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: IOW, 1 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 20081006850369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081006850369A), Oct 6, 2008: Cessna 150M, Iowa City, IA, Destroyed. (-23) Aircraft N533JR, Cessna C-150, departed Iowa City, IA (iow) at approximately 1730 CDT and traveled to cedar rapids, IA (cid) under VMC conditions. During…

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.

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