- Date
- December 27, 1999, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sinton, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7290SCessna 150H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991227036409A
- Case key
- 48415
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 a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain 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
During the pre-flight inspection, the pilot visually noted each wing fuel tank was 1/2 full and the fuel quantity gauges indicated 3/4 full. The pilot flew to an airport 27 nautical miles away, and performed one touch-and-go landing. During the return flight, the pilot observed that the right fuel tank quantity gauge indicated 1/4 full and the left fuel tank quantity gauge indicated 3/4 full. Upon arrival, the pilot performed a touch-and-go landing on runway 32, and during the takeoff, climbing through 300 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing, and attempted a 180 degree turn toward the airport. Subsequently, the airplane touched down, went over a gravel road and stopped in a ditch, 750 feet short of the approach end of runway 14. The operator drained the remaining fuel out of both fuel tank sump drains, for a total of 1 3/4 gallons of fuel. The unusable fuel quantity of this make and model airplane is 3.5 gallons.
Factual narrative
On December 27, 1999, at 1700 central standard time, a Cessna 150H, N7290S, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Sinton, Texas. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Sky Park Aviation, Inc., of Sinton, Texas. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed from the San Patricio County Airport, Sinton, Texas, at 1610.
According to the 141-hour pilot, during the pre-flight inspection, he visually noted each wing fuel tank was 1/2 full and the fuel quantity gauges indicated 3/4 full. The pilot departed San Patricio County Airport and flew to Aransas County Airport, Rockport, Texas, 27 nautical miles away, and performed one touch-and-go landing. During the return flight to Sinton, the pilot observed that the right fuel tank quantity gauge indicated 1/4 full and the left fuel tank quantity gauge indicated 3/4 full. At San Patricio County Airport, the pilot performed a touch-and-go landing on runway 32, and during the takeoff, climbing through 300 feet agl., the engine lost power The pilot initiated a forced landing, and attempted a 180 degree turn toward the airport. Subsequently, the airplane touched down, went over a gravel road and stopped in a ditch, 750 feet short of the approach end of runway 14.
An FAA inspector examined the airplane and reported that the right wing spar was structurally damaged, the fuselage was "split," and the nose gear was collapsed. The operator drained the remaining fuel out of both fuel tank sump drains, for a total of 1 3/4 gallons of fuel. The airplane's total fuel tank capacity is 26 gallons, the useable fuel quantity is 22.5 gallons, and the unusable fuel quantity is 3.5 gallons.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7290S
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15067990
- Airframe hours
- 4,202
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sky Park Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Robert Robinson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 27, 1999 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- T69
- Destination
- T69
- Airport
- T69 · San Patricio County, runway 14, 4,323 × 55 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
- 23
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 141 total · 4 in this make and model · 14 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRP, 15 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.