# NTSB FTW93LA134: Cessna 150F, N8979S, Garrison, TX, April 18, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 18, 1993, 16:10 local (21:10 UTC) - Place: Garrison, TX - Coordinates: 31.820775, -94.490074 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8208&lon=-94.4901&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 25, 1993 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18732 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW93LA134 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18732/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA134 ## Probable cause THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS HIS BECOMING LOST ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - became lost/disoriented, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE STUDENT PILOT BECAME LOST DURING A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE COULD NOT FIND HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION AND LANDED AT AN AIRPORT ABOUT 20 MILES AWAY. HE ELECTED TO NOT REFUEL AND TOOK OFF IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE ORIGINAL AIRPORT. HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND THEN STARTED TO DIVERT TO A THIRD AIRPORT. AFTER BEING AIRBORNE FOR A TOTAL OF 4 HOURS THE AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF GAS AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN PASTURE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACCIDENT LOCATION WAS 20 MILES FROM THE INTENDED DIVERT AIRPORT ## Factual narrative On Sunday, April 18, 1993, at approximately 1610 central daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N8979S, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing near Garrison, Texas. The forced landing was executed following a complete loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The airplane, owned by a private individual, leased to Beaumont Wings, and rented to the student pilot, was on a solo instructional cross country flight which was to have gone from Beaumont, Texas, to Henderson, Texas, and return. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. According to the pilot and the operator, the flight departed the Beaumont airport at 1200. The student was supposed to fly direct to the Rusk County airport in Henderson, Texas. From Henderson, he was supposed to fly to Palestine, Texas, land and refuel, and then proceed direct back to Beaumont. The pilot stated that he got lost and could not find Rusk County Airport. He landed instead at Cherokee County Airport, near Gallatin, Texas, about 20 miles southwest of Henderson. He elected not to refuel at Gallatin. Instead he took off with the intention of finding the Rusk County Airport. When he could not find the airport a second time, he decided to fly to Nacogdoches, Texas, and refuel there before proceeding on to Beaumont. He stated that the engine quit after about 4 hours total flight time and he elected to land in an open pasture. The nose gear collapsed during the landing and the airplane nosed over. Garrison, Texas, was about 20 miles northeast of Nacogdoches, and not on the route of flight from Gallatin or Henderson. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8979S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8979S), registered now, S/N 15062279 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150F - Registry model: [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f) (registry code 2071814) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15062279 - Airframe hours: 4185 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200A-14 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Beaumont Wings - Registered owner: Kahla, Kevin - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 5, 1993 - Departed: JSO, GALLATIN, TX - Destination: OCH, NACOGDOCHES, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 32 total, 32 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 11 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: OCH, 20 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 19930418009559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930418009559A), Apr 18, 1993: Cessna 150F, Garrison, TX, Substantial damage. Student ran out of fuel after using fuel trying to find scheduled airport and failing to refuel at alternate. ## Other investigations on N8979S (2) 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 FTW88LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW88LA126), Jun 25, 1988: Cessna 150F (N8979S), Temple, TX, substantial damage - [NTSB FTW66D0542](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW66D0542), Feb 19, 1966: Cessna 150 (N8979S), Corpus Christ, TX, substantial damage 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.