- Date
- October 9, 1991, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lubbock, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5399BCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911009045559A
- Case key
- 18398
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
Fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to the flight. A factor was the fbo's failure to properly maintain the fuel quantity gauges.
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 preflight, the student pilot discovered water in the fuel samples. He then recruited the chief flight instructor, who assisted him in sumping the tanks until a satisfactory sample was obtained. The student pilot was then advised by the chief flight instructor to verify the fuel quantity of the airplane because the fuel gauge was inaccurate. The student pilot stated that fuel was observed up to the filler neck of the tank; therefore, he did not refuel the airplane. On final to the airport, a total loss of power was experienced due to fuel exhaustion. A total of 1.25 gallons was recovered from the airplane subsequent to the accident. The flight departed at approximately 1500 central daylight time.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5399B
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283861
- Airframe hours
- 7,255
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Abilene Aero, Inc., doing business as Lubbock Aero
- Registered owner
- Abilene Aero, Inc.
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 14, 1991 · 33 hours before
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
- 22
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 43 total · 40 in this make and model · 20 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5399B · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.