# NTSB ERA26LA171: Cessna 150, N6586S, Naples, FL, April 12, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 12, 2026, 12:16 local (16:16 UTC) - Place: Naples, FL - Coordinates: 26.00054, -81.67743 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0005&lon=-81.6774&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 8, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202822 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA171 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202822/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202822 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA171 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/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-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 150H, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071818), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis Before departing on the cross-country flight, the pilot observed that the airplane’s fuel tanks were nearly full. He planned the flight to be flown at 5,500 ft mean sea level (msl), but after departing he deviated from that altitude and the planned course multiple times throughout the flight, which included enrichening the fuel to air ratio when operating at lower altitudes and then climbing to higher altitudes after descending. Both of those actions resulted in increased fuel consumption beyond what the pilot had originally planned, in addition to increasing the total flight duration. About 3 hours and 10 minutes into the flight, as the pilot approached the destination airport, the pilot described that the engine “sputtered” before losing power completely. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a road, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage and wings. Following the accident, the pilot reported that he could have made a precautionary landing earlier in the flight to account for the deviations from his original flight plan. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed both of its fuel tanks were intact, displaying no evidence of leakage. The left fuel tank was absent of fuel while ¼-gallon more than the usable quantity of fuel was recovered from the right fuel tank. With electrical power applied, both fuel gauges indicated a quantity that was below empty. A cursory examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft rotated freely with no evidence of binding and minor damage to the propeller blades. Given this information, it is likely that during the flight, and as a result of the unplanned altitude and course changes performed by the pilot, the airplane’s fuel consumption and the total flight duration was greater than the pilot had anticipated, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6586S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6586S), registered now, S/N 15067386 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 (H) - Registry model: [Cessna 150H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150h) (registry code 2071818) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15067386 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 5911 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2025, 21 hours before - Departed: LCQ, Lake City, FL - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: MKY, Marco Island Executive Airport, runway 17, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 15, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 349 total, 91 in this make and model, 243 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: KMKY - METAR: METAR KMKY 121156Z AUTO 03007KT 10SM FEW034 18/16 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP236 6//// 7//// T01780156 10183 20167 53018 PNO $= ## 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 20260412010529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260412010529A), Apr 12, 2026: Cessna 150H, Marco Island, FL, Destroyed. [privacy data omitted] Registration: [privacy data omitted] make: Cessna aircraft model: 150H serial number: 150H when: April 12, 2026 where: Marco Island Exec… ## Other investigations on N6586S (1) 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. - [NTSB NYC72FHM14](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC72FHM14), Oct 27, 1971: Cessna 150H (N6586S), East Hanover, NJ, substantial damage ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 8, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202822. 50.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 6.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20971311&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20MPTPDF_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB memorandum for record - complete narrative (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20971827&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FINAL%20Memo%20For%20Record%20-%206120%20Complete%20Narrative%20v01_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB record of conversation (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 163 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20972064&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FINAL%20Record%20of%20Convo%20w%20Mark%20Armstrong%204%2012%202026%20v01_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Federal aviation administration automatic dependent surveillance a�� broadcast (ADS-B) tabular data (item 4, XLSX, 30.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20971955&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=20260412_A8ADAD_619969832_ADSB-Rel.xlsx - Pilot flight planning document (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20971869&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Flight%20Planning%20Document%20Recd%205%2019%202026-Rel.pdf - NTSB memorandum for record - flight path and altitudes flown summary from flight aware (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 127 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20973071&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FINAL%20Memo%20For%20Record%20-%20Flight%20Path%20and%20Altitude%20Depiction%20v01-Rel.pdf - Excerpts from owner's manual (item 7, PDF, 6 pages, 6.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20973180&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Excerpts%20Fm%20Owners%20Manual-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 8, PDF, 2 pages, 965 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20972074&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20MPTPDF_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement from kmky personnel (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20971414&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N6586S%20Statement%20Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 10, PDF, 7 pages, 6 photos, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20971945&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photos%20v01_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 432 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20971364&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fully%20Exctd%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form-Recd%207_2_2026_Redacted-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.