- Date
- June 10, 2013, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3718JCessna 150G
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130610009249A
- Case key
- 87174
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 improper fuel planning which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 1
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 student pilot reported that he checked the airplane’s fuel tanks and estimated that each tank was about a quarter full, or about 6 gallons of fuel total. He then added 3 gallons of fuel to each tank. The flight instructor reported that he did not check the fuel tanks after refueling, but the student stated that they had two hours of fuel on board. The flight then departed and conducted practice maneuvers for about an hour. After completing a maneuver, the engine started to sputter and then lost power. The instructor conducted a forced landing in a field. Examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall and the nosewheel collapsed during the landing. Examination of the fuel tanks and lines found only residual fuel.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that he checked the airplane’s fuel tanks and estimated that each tank was about a quarter full, or about 6 gallons of fuel total. He then added 3 gallons of fuel to each tank. The flight instructor reported that he did not check the fuel tanks after refueling, but the student stated that they had two hours of fuel on board. The flight then departed and conducted practice maneuvers for about an hour. After completing a maneuver, the engine started to sputter and then lost power. The instructor conducted a forced landing in a field. Examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall and the nose wheel collapsed during the landing. Examination of the fuel tanks and lines found only residual fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3718J
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15065018
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200 SERIES, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Stewarts Aircraft Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Stewarts Aircraft Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 40I · Waynesville, OH
- Destination
- Franklin, OH
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 12,000 as pilot in command · 240 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 18
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 70 total · 70 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- KMGY, 8 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 544 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.