# NTSB CEN21LA191: Cessna 150, N22005, Caro, MI, April 17, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 17, 2021, 13:40 local (17:40 UTC) - Place: Caro, MI - Coordinates: 43.492475, -83.384762 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4925&lon=-83.3848&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102928 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA191 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102928/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102928 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA191 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning and improper in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [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: [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: [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft inspection event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050); cases with it: [All aircraft, 229 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that after about 45 minutes of flight, he noted the fuel gauges were not moving, so he returned to the airport. About half a mile from the airport the airplane “ran out of gas”. The pilot chose to conduct a forced landing to a road. During the landing the right landing gear struck a mailbox, and the left wing impacted a small tree before the airplane came to rest in a ditch. The airplane’s left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that both fuel tanks were empty. ## Aircraft - Registration: N22005 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 (H) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15068003 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 6788 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Caro, MI - Airport: CFS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 1,700 total, 120 in this make and model, 1,630 as pilot in command, 1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: KCFS, 2 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 20210417003329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210417003329A), Apr 17, 2021: Cessna 150H, Caro, MI, Substantial damage. Pilot stated that he was at 2,000? Headed towards Caro airport (kcfs) and the engine began to sputter, he moved throttle in and out and engine quit. He did not… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 12, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102928. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 6 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12225571&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memo (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 175 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12225355&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 798 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12225685&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photo-Rel.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.