- Date
- November 9, 1996, 19:43 local (Nov 10, 1996, 01:43 UTC)
- Place
- Tulsa, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8960UCessna 150M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961109035099A
- Case key
- 20110
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 due the student pilot's failure to refuel. 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 approach to runway 36L at the Tulsa International Airport, and after being cleared to land, the student pilot reported to ATC that the 'aircraft was out of fuel and going to crash.' The airplane struck some trees and came to a stop with one wing against a house and the other wing on top of a fence, approximately one half mile from the approach end of the runway. A total of 7-quarts of fuel were drained from both fuel tanks. The student pilot's flight instructor had only authorized him to fly solo for the purpose of practicing flight maneuvers, and not to fly at night or fly cross-country. The pilot reported that 'he went sightseeing and knew he would have to stop for fuel.' The pilot intended to land at the Grove Municipal Airport; however, he could not locate the airport. The pilot then flew to the Vinita Municipal Airport; however, fuel is not available at this airport. The pilot reported that he 'sticked the fuel' and found that the airplane's fuel tanks had approximately 2 inches of fuel. The pilot decided to fly the 44 nautical miles to the Tulsa International Airport to get fuel.
Factual narrative
On November 9, 1996, at 1943 central standard time, a Cessna 150M, N8960U, registered to and operated by Airman Flight School as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near Tulsa, Oklahoma. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the night cross country flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The student pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, about 3.8 hours before the accident.
The student pilot's flight instructor had only authorized him to fly solo for the purpose of practicing flight maneuvers, and not to fly at night or fly cross country. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that "he went sightseeing and knew he would have to stop for fuel." The pilot intended to land at the Grove Municipal Airport, Grove, Oklahoma; however, he could not locate the airport.
The pilot then flew the airplane to the Vinita Municipal Airport, Vinita, Oklahoma, and landed. Fuel was not available at this airport. The pilot reported that he "sticked the fuel" and found that the airplane's fuel tanks had approximately 2-inches of fuel. The pilot decided he had enough fuel to fly the 44 nautical miles to the Tulsa International Airport, Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he knew he could get fuel.
During the approach to runway 36L at the Tulsa International Airport, and after being cleared to land, the pilot reported to ATC that the "aircraft was out of fuel and going to crash." The airplane struck some trees and came to a stop with one wing against a house and the other wing on top of a fence, approximately one half mile from the approach end of the runway.
The FAA inspector reported that the airplane's Hobbs meter showed 4.5 hours since it was last fueled. He also reported the airplane had been flown .7 hours prior to the student pilot flying solo. Examination of the airplane revealed that both wings were bent and twisted, and the empennage was partially separated.
The operator reported to the FAA inspector that during recovery of the aircraft, they had drained a total of 7-quarts of fuel from the fuel tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8960U
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078030
- Airframe hours
- 5,501
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Airman Flight School, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 3, 1996 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- H04 · Vinita, OK
- Destination
- TUL
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 79 total · 78 in this make and model · 70 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
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 N8960U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.