# NTSB CEN19LA101: Cessna 150, N6917F, Granite Shoals, TX, March 6, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 6, 2019, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Granite Shoals, TX - Coordinates: 30.589445, -98.370277 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5894&lon=-98.3703&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 99122 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA101 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99122/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99122 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA101 ## Probable cause The pilot's decision to takeoff with a limited amount of fuel onboard, which unported during a turn, resulting in fuel starvation and a subsequent loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Not serviced/maintained; cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he last fueled the airplane about 5 months before the accident. Before the flight, the pilot conducted a preflight inspection and sumped both wing fuel tanks. The left fuel tank had some sediment present, but as he continued sumping the fuel became clear. The fuel in the right fuel tank ran clear. After engine start, the left tank fuel gauge indicated near empty, and the right fuel tank gauge indicated about 1/4 full. Subsequently, the pilot took off for a personal cross-country flight. After starting a right turn, and about 600 ft above ground level, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot then attempted to turn back to the airport but realized that the airplane was too low, so he executed a forced landing to a field with small trees, during which the left wing struck a tree, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing. The pilot reported that, after the accident, he found more sediment in the left tank. He stated that he believed that the low fuel state and the sediment in the left tank may have starved the engine of fuel during the turn and that having more fuel onboard would have “probably been helpful.” However, it is more likely that, due to the low fuel state, when the pilot conducted the right turn, the fuel became unported, resulting in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Factual narrative On March 6, 2019, about 1300 central standard time, a Cessna 150F, N6917F, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing near Granite Shoals/Bob Sylvester Airpark (2G5), Granite Shoals, Texas. The pilot and 1 child passenger were not injured and another child passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the flight's purpose was to reposition the aircraft to San Marcos, Texas, to conduct an annual inspection. The pilot recalled that he last refueled the airplane in October of 2018 with about 8 gallons, about 5 months prior to the accident flight. Prior to the flight, the pilot conducted a preflight inspection and sumped both wing fuel tanks. The left fuel tank was virtually empty and had some sediment present, but then became clear. The right fuel tank sump was clear. After engine start, the left fuel tank gauge indicated near empty, and right fuel tank gauge indicated about 1/4 full. The pilot stated that he started a right turn after takeoff, and about 600 ft above the ground, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot then attempted to turn back to the airport but realized that he was too low. He executed a forced landing to a field vegetated with small trees. During the forced landing, the left wing struck a small mesquite tree and spun the airplane around 180-degrees, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot and two children passengers (6 and 4 years old) exited the airplane. The airplane was not equipped with child safety seating. After the accident, the pilot reported that he discovered more sediment remaining in the left tank. The pilot reported on the NTSB Form 6120 that he believes that the low fuel state and sediment in left tank may have starved the engine during first turn when gravity pulled from left tank, and that more fuel on board would have probably been helpful. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6917F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6917F-2019-09-10), registration cancelled 2019-09-10, S/N 15063517, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150 (F) - Registry model: [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f) (registry code 2071814) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15063517 - Year built: 1966 - Airframe hours: 4561 - Engines: Continental O-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 20, 2016, 30 hours before - Departed: 2G5, Granite Shoals, TX - Destination: HYI, San Marcus, TX - Airport: 2G5, Granite Shoals Airport - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 200 total, 100 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.70 inHg - Observed at: AUS, 55 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 20190306000949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190306000949A), Mar 6, 2019: Cessna 150F, Granite Shoals, TX, Substantial damage. Pilot received a ferry flight permit for a one time flight from Bob Sylvester Airpark in Granite Shoals, Texas (2G5) to san marcos airport san marcos, Texas… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 21, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99122. 1.6 MB in all. - NTSB Form 6120 (item 1, .PDF, 829 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482778&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%20%206120-Master.PDF - Photo Array CEN19LA101 (item 2, .PDF, 616 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482779&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array%20CEN19LA101-Master.PDF - Memorandum for the Record Pilot Telephone Conversation (item 3, .PDF, 183 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482780&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Pilot%20Telephone%20Conversation-Master.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.