# NTSB ERA14LA094: Cessna 150H, N684RA, Livingston, AL, October 26, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 26, 2013, 13:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: Livingston, AL - Coordinates: 32.58889, -88.174446 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5889&lon=-88.1744&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 4, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 88679 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14LA094 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88679/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88679 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA094 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate soft-field technique during the precautionary landing, which resulted in a nose-over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in departure with an open fuel port and the subsequent in-flight, overboard venting of the fuel supply. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel storage](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 60 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/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: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis After purchasing the airplane, the pilot serviced it with fuel at the self-service pump and then departed on the cross-country flight to his home airport. About 1.4 hours into the flight, he noticed the fuel quantity displayed on the fuel gauges rapidly decreasing and the electrical system "discharging." (Although the pilot reported he had been flying for 45 minutes, based on the takeoff and landing location, the airplane traveled 140 miles; the airplane's cruise speed is 100 mph; therefore, he had been flying about 1.4 hours.) The pilot chose to conduct a precautionary landing to a field. Upon landing, the nose gear dug into the soft soil, and the airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine firewall. According to the pilot, the engine was running "fine" throughout the flight, and it never stopped producing power. The pilot recovered and disassembled the airplane before reporting the accident. During recovery, he noted that one of the two 13-gallon fuel tanks was empty and that the other tank contained about 1/4 tank of fuel (about 3 to 4 gallons), which confirmed that his fuel gauges were reading accurately. After the accident, only one fuel cap was recovered from the airplane, and a similar fuel cap was recovered at the self-service pump at the departure airport. Interpolation of performance data revealed that, at a 6 gallon-per-hour fuel consumption rate, the airplane would have consumed about 8 gallons of fuel. With one fuel tank venting overboard and the engine consuming 8 gallons of fuel from the other tank, the airplane would have contained about 4 gallons of fuel at landing. ## Factual narrative On October 26, 2013, about 1345 central daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N684RA, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing and subsequent nose-over near Livingston, Alabama. The two commercial pilots on board were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from Cullman Regional Airport (CMD), Cullman, Alabama, about 1215. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.Following his purchase of the airplane, the pilot serviced the airplane with fuel at the self-service fuel pumps before departing to his home airport. He stated that after approximately 45 minutes of flight, he noticed that the alternator was "discharging," and that the fuel quantity displayed on the gauges was rapidly decreasing. The pilot then elected to perform a precautionary landing to a field. At touchdown, the nose landing gear dug into the soft soil and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine firewall. When asked how the engine was performing, the pilot/owner said, "The engine was running fine…" and that it "did not quit." Sometime after the airplane departed CMD, a fuel cap similar to those installed on the accident airplane make and model was found at the self-service fuel pumps. The pilot recovered the airplane from the accident site, and transported it by truck to his home in Louisiana, but did not report the accident until January 16, 2014. During recovery, he noted that one fuel tank was empty, and the other contained about "1/4 tank" of fuel. He added, "So it's a good thing I landed when I did, because it wasn't the gauges, they were reading accurately" Photographs of the wreckage revealed a collapsed nose landing gear and substantial damage to the engine firewall. The wings were removed, and the fuel tanks had been removed from the wings. One tank had a fuel cap installed, while the other did not. The pilot and a mechanic he hired determined that the airplane had both a "bad fuel line" as well as an electrical problem. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1968. Its most recent annual inspection was completed May 18, 2013, at 7,173 total aircraft hours. The airplane was equipped with two fuel tanks, one in each wing, and each were serviced through a capped port on top of the wing. The total fuel capacity was 26 gallons, or 13 gallons per tank, of which a total of 22.5 gallons were usable. The pilot/owner held a commercial private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine, multiengine, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued in January, 2014. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Both fuel caps were forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, DC for examination. While similar, the caps were not identical. Examination by a materials specialist revealedthat the red paint on each cap was consistent with the paint on the other. Prior to the precautionary landing, the airplane traveled approximately 140 miles in calm winds. Interpolation of performance, fuel consumption charts, and a 100 mile-per-hour cruising speed revealed an average fuel consumption rate of 6 gallons per hour. Engine start, run-up, taxi, takeoff, and initial climb were not computed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N684RA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N684RA-2014-09-25), registration cancelled 2014-09-25, S/N 15068698, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150H - Registry model: [Cessna 150H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150h) (registry code 2071818) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15068698 - Year built: 1968 - Airframe hours: 7173 - Engines: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Charles E. Puckett - Registered owner: Charles E. Puckett - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 18, 2013 - Departed: KCMD, Cullman, AL - Destination: L38, Gonzales, LA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1,400 total, 750 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: KDYA, 18 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 20131026025019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131026025019A), Oct 26, 2013: Cessna 150H, Livingston, AL, Substantial damage. Enroute from cullman, AL to gonzales, LA, alternator failed. Pilot stated that he then noticed fuel gauges reading empty, electing to make a precautionary… ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 30, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88679. 4.1 MB in all. - NTSB Form 6120 Memorandum for Record (item 1, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420453&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Memorandum%20for%20Record-Master.PDF - Pilot Interview Summary (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420454&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Interview%20Summary-Master.PDF - Letters and Statements to FAA (item 3, .PDF, 477 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420455&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Letters%20and%20Statements%20to%20FAA-Redacted.PDF - Mechanic Statement (item 4, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420456&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Mechanic%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Materials Laboratory Memorandum for Record (item 5, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420457&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20Memorandum%20for%20Record-Master.PDF - Materials Lab Examination Report (item 6, .PDF, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420458&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Lab%20Examination%20Report-Master.PDF - Metars (item 7, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420459&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Metars-Master.PDF - Photo 1 – Airplane as Photographed by Pilot (item 8, .PDF, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420460&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Airplane%20as%20Photographed%20by%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - View of Airplane as Found by FAA (FAA) (item 9, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420461&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20View%20of%20Airplane%20as%20Found%20by%20FAA%20(FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF - Photo 3 - View of Uncapped Fuel Tank (FAA) (item 10, .PDF, 782 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420462&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20-%20View%20of%20Uncapped%20Fuel%20Tank%20(FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 4 – View of Capped Fuel Tank (FAA) (item 11, .PDF, 793 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420463&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20Capped%20Fuel%20Tank%20(FAA)%0D%0A-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.