# NTSB DEN01LA040: Cessna 150F, N8067F, Meeker, CO, January 8, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 8, 2001, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Meeker, CO - Coordinates: 40.050857, -107.890487 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0509&lon=-107.8905&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 50898 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN01LA040 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50898/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA040 ## Probable cause Fuel exhaustion due to the failure of the instructor to ensure there was sufficient fuel for the flight. Factors were the instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot, and the deep snow-covered terrain. ## Analysis Prior to takeoff, both fuel tanks were checked by the student pilot. The amount of fuel in the left tank measured 2 inches in depth. There was a negligible (about 1/2 inch) amount of fuel in the right tank, "enough fuel for about an hour and a half of flight time," the instructor said. After flying 1.3 Hobbs meter hours, the engine lost power and the instructor made a forced landing in a deep snow covered field and the airplane nosed down. Later, the master switch was turned on and the left tank registered slightly less than one-half full. ## Factual narrative On January 8, 2001, approximately 1130 mountain standard time, a Cessna 150F, N8067F, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during a forced landing at Meeker, Colorado. The commercial certificated flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Meeker approximately 1015. In a telephone interview with the instructor conducted shortly after the accident, he said the fuel in the left tank measured 2-1/2 inches in depth prior to takeoff. There was a negligible amount of fuel in the right tank. After 1.3 hours of flying (as recorded on the Hobbs meter), the engine lost power as the airplane was climbing on the downwind leg. The instructor took control of the airplane and made a forced landing in a snow covered field adjacent to the airport. When the airplane touched down, the nose wheel settled into the snow and was torn off, and the left wing tip dragged through the soft snow, spinning the airplane around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, and the nose and left main landing gear. In his accident report, the instructor said that after the accident the fuel in the left fuel tank measured 1 inch in depth. After the airplane had been moved to its hangar, the master switch was turned on and the left tank registered slightly less than one-half full. In a second written statement, the instructor said the student pilot preflighted the airplane and checked the fuel levels in both tanks. The right tank measured about 1/2 inch and the left tank measured about 2 inches. "This was enough fuel for about an hour and a half of flight time," he wrote. The instructor indicated that the power loss occurred shortly after takeoff, when the airplane was on the downwind leg. He made no mention that the airplane had flown 1.3 Hobbs meter hours prior to the power loss. The student pilot also submitted a brief statement. He said that his instructor "apparently misunderstood when I checked the tanks physically with the tube. I 'stabbed' the tanks after we were forced to land and found 2" or so in the left wing tank and none in the right. It is also stated that he shut off the master switch. Although he may have hit it afterward, I hit it first." ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - refueling - not performed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Nose down, landing - roll - terrain condition - open field - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8067F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8067F-2014-09-25), registration cancelled 2014-09-25, S/N 15064167 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150F - Registry model: [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f) (registry code 2071814) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15064167 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Justin J. Neumeier - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 30, 2000, 0 hours before - Departed: EEO, Meeker, CO - Airport: EEO, Meeker ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 1, 1999; seat: rear; flight hours: 2,673 total, 100 in this make and model, 1,315 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 43; injuries: none; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 35 total, 100 in this make and model, 13 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: EEO ## 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 20010108000799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010108000799A), Jan 8, 2001: Cessna 150, Meeker, CO, No damage. (-23) During multiple take off & landings @Meeker airport, Meeker, Colorado, the aircraft lost power after turning downwind for runway 21. The instructor took… 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.