# NTSB DEN99LA165: Cessna 152, N65602, Murray, UT, September 18, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 18, 1999, 13:36 local (19:36 UTC) - Place: Murray, UT - Coordinates: 40.650821, -111.880035 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6508&lon=-111.8800&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 23, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47417 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN99LA165 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47417/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA165 ## Probable cause A forced landing on unsuitable terrain. Factors were fuel exhaustion and inaccurate preflight planning by the flight instructor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (contributing factor) - preflight planning/preparation - inaccurate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - none suitable (cause) - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The CFI was giving the student pilot a mountain checkout and after approximately 1.6 hours of flight, the engine lost power. An emergency descent and was made to a field and the aircraft struck trees during the landing roll. The CFI said they had approximately 13 gallons of fuel on board at departure and the flight manual provides information that the aircraft uses approximately 6 gallons of fuel per hour in cruise flight and approximately 3.5 gallons of fuel is unusable. Following the accident, an FAA inspector examined the aircraft and drained approximately 1.4 gallons of fuel from the tanks. He found no evidence of a fuel leak nor evidence of engine malfunction. ## Factual narrative On September 18, 1999, at 1336 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 152, N65602, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing at Murray, Utah. The certified flight instructor and student pilot occupants were not injured. The flight was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional flight and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area flight which reportedly departed Salt Lake City at 1236. The flight instructor said he was giving the student pilot a mountain checkout and after about 1.6 hours of flight, the engine began to lose power. An emergency landing was conducted to a field and the aircraft struck trees during the landing roll. Damage to the propeller, left wing spar, fuselage, windscreen, lower engine cowl and nose landing gear resulted from impact with the trees. According to the pilot operating manual for the aircraft, approximately 3.5 gallons of fuel is unusable and performance information provided evidence that the average fuel consumption in cruise flight is approximately 6.0 gallons per hour. The flight instructor said he visually examined the tanks during preflight after he noted that the gauges read slightly more than 1/2 tank fuel quantity. He estimated, based on his visual examination of the tanks, that there was approximately 13 gallons of fuel aboard the aircraft at departure. The actual fuel quantity aboard at departure was unknown. Following the accident the aircraft was examined by a FAA Inspector, who drained 1.4 gallons of fuel from the aircraft. He found no evidence of fuel leaks or engine abnormalities during his examination. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65602](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N65602-2000-03-22), registration cancelled 2000-03-22, S/N 15281643 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15281643 - Airframe hours: 6000 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Edith E. Steele - Registered owner: Raul W. Smith - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 1, 1998, 30 hours before - Departed: U42, SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Destination: SLC, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; commercial, flight instructor, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 2,562 total, 122 in this make and model, 1,762 as pilot in command, 98 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: SLC, 10 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 19990918027669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990918027669A), Sep 18, 1999: Cessna 152, Murray, UT, Substantial damage. (.19) On September 18, 1999, at 1336 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 152, N65602, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing at Murray, Utah. The… 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.