# NTSB CEN13CA197: Cessna 150G, N6389S, Baytown, TX, March 17, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 16, 2013, 22:00 local (Mar 17, 2013, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Baytown, TX - Coordinates: 29.725833, -94.988334 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7258&lon=-94.9883&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 24, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Houston FSDO, Continental Motors Inc, Cessna Aircraft Company - NTSB case key (mKey): 86444 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13CA197 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86444/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86444 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA197 ## Probable cause The pilot’s poor in-flight decision-making and improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## 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 · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150G, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071816), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150G, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=2071816), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150G, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2071816), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 150G, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2071816), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150G, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071816), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during the night, cross-country flight, she had briefly considered an en route stop for additional fuel because of the increased headwind but that she decided to continue. During a shallow turn to enter the traffic pattern about 6 miles from the destination airport, the airplane experienced a total loss of power, and the pilot made an emergency off-airport landing. The airplane impacted trees and bushes in a thickly wooded area, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings and ailerons and the engine mount, fuselage, and empennage. The airplane had a total fuel capacity of 26.0 gallons with 22.5 gallons of usable fuel. Postaccident examination found that only a trace amount of fuel remained in the right tank and that the left tank was empty. The pilot estimated that the fuel consumption rate was about 7.3 gallons per hour and that the accident flight was about 3.3 hours long. Therefore, a total of about 24 gallons of fuel would have been needed for the flight, which was more than the usable fuel in the airplane. The pilot attributed her lack of more serious or fatal injuries to her use of a shoulder harness. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that she was on a night cross-country flight cruising below 4,000 feet mean sea level at “full throttle” and she did not lean the mixture. She estimated her fuel consumption was about 7.3 to 7.6 gallons per hour and had been inflight for about 3.3 hours when the engine suddenly went silent and stopped producing power. The airplane has a total fuel capacity of 26.0 gallons with 22.5 gallons of usable fuel. The pilot reported that because of the increased headwind she had briefly considered an enroute stop for additional fuel but decided to continue. During a shallow turn to enter the traffic pattern the airplane experienced a complete loss of power and the pilot made an emergency off-airport landing about 6 miles from the destination. The airplane impacted trees and bushes in a thickly wooded area which resulted in substantial damage to both wings, both ailerons, the engine mount, the fuselage, and the empennage. A postaccident examination found that only a trace of fuel remained. The pilot also attributed her lack of more serious or fatal injuries to her use of a shoulder harness. She said she would never again fly an airplane not equipped with a shoulder harness. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6389S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6389S-2014-06-30), registration cancelled 2014-06-30, S/N 15067189, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150G - Registry model: [Cessna 150G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150g) (registry code 2071816) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15067189 - Airframe hours: 5622 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 16, 2012 - Departed: TRL, Terrell, TX - Destination: T41, La Porte, TX - Airport: T41, La Porte Municipal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 27, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 276 total, 261 in this make and model, 276 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 160° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: KEFD, 11 nm away ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86444. 4.8 MB in all. - Summary of Findings by IIC (item 1, .PDF, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390694&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summary%20of%20Findings%20by%20IIC-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390695&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 3, .PDF, 304 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390696&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF 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.