- Date
- February 5, 2011, 17:51 local (23:51 UTC)
- Place
- Gonzales, LA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N11790Cessna 150L
- Defining event
- Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110205003999A
- Case key
- 78527
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 flight instructor's failure to monitor the available fuel supply, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The certified flight instructor did not visually inspect the fuel tanks prior to departure, but noted that the fuel gauge was just below the full mark, and the student pilot told him the fuel tanks were full. Based on his experience in the airplane, the instructor estimated a total of 4 hours of fuel on board and then departed on an instructional flight that included numerous practice take offs and landings. Approximately 3 hours into the flight, as they were returning to their home airport, the engine lost power. The instructor was unable to re-start the engine and made a forced landing to a grass field where the right wing impacted a tree, resulting in substantial damage to the strut. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector drained both fuel tanks and reported that approximately 3/4 of a gallon of fuel was drained from the right wing tank and 1/2 of a gallon of fuel was drained from the left wing tank. The fuel line to the carburetor was removed and some fuel was found in the line. The gascolator was removed and approximately 7 to 8 ounces of fuel (absent of debris) was recovered. The carburetor was removed and disassembled and approximately 2 ounces of fuel (absent of debris) was observed in the bowl. No mechanical deficiencies were noted with the airplane or engine.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor did not visually inspect the fuel tanks prior to departure, but the fuel gauge was just below the full mark and the student pilot told him the fuel tanks were full. Based on his experience in the airplane, the instructor estimated a total of 4 hours of fuel on board and then departed on an instructional flight that included numerous practice take offs and landings. Approximately 3 hours into the flight, as they were returning to their home airport, the engine lost power. The instructor was unable to re-start the engine and made a forced landing to a grass field where the right wing hit a tree causing substantial damage to the strut. The nose gear separated from the airframe and both wing tips, the engine cowling, and wheel fairings were damaged. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector drained both fuel tanks and reported that approximately 3/4 of a gallon of fuel was drained from the right wing tank and 1/2 of a gallon of fuel was drained from the left wing tank. The fuel line to the carburetor was removed and some fuel was found in the line. The gascolator was removed and approximately 7 to 8 ounces of fuel (absent of debris) was recovered. The carburetor was removed and disassembled and approximately 2 ounces of fuel (absent of debris)was found in the bowl. No mechanical deficiencies were noted with the airplane or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N11790
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15075634
- Engine
- Cont Motor 0-200 SERIES, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Michael Schaff
- Registered owner
- Michael Schaff
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BTR · Baton Rouge, LA
- Destination
- Gonzales, LA
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 57
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 2,415 total · 260 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.