- Date
- May 6, 2006, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Coleman, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3815JCessna 150G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20060506007769A
- Case key
- 63632
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 failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain available for the forced landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The 2,800-hour private pilot of the single-engine airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power on takeoff. A witness, who is also an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic with inspection authorization (IA), stated that he heard the engine sputtering until the airplane was approximately 250 feet above the ground (AGL); then the engine stopped running. The A&P added that the pilot almost completed a 180-degree turn in an attempt to return to the airport; however, the airplane impacted the ground about 60 feet short of the airport. The A&P moved the airplane into a hangar, and reported to the FAA that the engine broke away from the airframe and the left wing was partially separated from the fuselage. The A&P also reported to the FAA that the fuel in the left fuel tank measured 0.75 of an inch, and the fuel in the right tank measured 0.25 of an inch. On the pilot's most recent FAA medical certificate dated April 11, 1989, the pilot reported his total flight time as 2,800 hours; however, he failed to complete a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) sent to him by the NTSB investigator-in-charge.
Factual narrative
The 2,800-hour private pilot of the single-engine airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power on takeoff. A witness, who is also an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic with inspection authorization (IA), stated that he heard the engine sputtering until the airplane was approximately 250 feet above the ground (AGL); then the engine stopped running. The A&P added that the pilot almost completed a 180-degree turn in an attempt to return to the airport; however, the airplane impacted the ground about 60 feet short of the airport. The A&P moved the airplane into a hangar, and reported to the FAA that the engine broke away from the airframe and the left wing was partially separated from the fuselage. The A&P also reported to the FAA that the fuel in the left fuel tank measured 0.75 of an inch, and the fuel in the right tank measured 0.25 of an inch. On the pilot's most recent FAA medical certificate dated April 11, 1989, the pilot reported his total flight time as 2,800 hours; however, he failed to complete a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) sent to him by the NTSB investigator-in-charge.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3815J
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15065115
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cecil C. Day
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- KCOM · Coleman, TX
- Airport
- COM · Coleman Municipal Airport, runway 33, 4,503 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,800 total · 250 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- BWD, 23 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.