- Date
- August 12, 2000, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Carlsbad, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6500TCessna 150
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000812040699A
- Case key
- 49974
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
A catastrophic internal engine failure for undetermined reasons.
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
The aircraft ditched in the Pacific ocean about 20 miles west of Carlsbad, California, following a loss of engine power while on fish spotting operations. The airplane sank and is presumed to be destroyed. The pilot said that about 40 miles offshore the engine rpm's began a slow decay accompanied by a loss of oil pressure and an increase in oil temperature. The pilot reversed course and headed toward Carlsbad, the closest airport. About 20 miles out from shore the engine lost all power with a loud bang and the pilot ditched the airplane at 33 degrees 10 minutes north latitude by 117 degrees 45 minutes west longitude. A passing fishing boat picked up the pilot. The pilot was unable to reconstruct the maintenance history of the aircraft.
Factual narrative
On August 12, 2000, about 1130 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150, N6500T, ditched in the Pacific ocean about 20 miles west of Carlsbad, California, following a loss of engine power. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot for fish spotting operations under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The airplane sank and is presumed to be destroyed. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. While visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the aircraft's cruise altitude, instrument conditions consisting of low stratus clouds existed at the site of the ditching. The flight originated from the Gillespie Field airport, San Diego, California, at 1100 on the day of the accident and was en route to a fishing area offshore.
In his written report, the pilot said that about 40 miles offshore the engine rpm's began a slow decay accompanied by a loss of oil pressure and an increase in oil temperature. The pilot reversed course and headed toward Carlsbad, the closest airport. About 20 miles out from shore the engine lost all power with a loud bang and the pilot ditched the airplane at 33 degrees 10 minutes north latitude by 117 degrees 45 minutes west longitude. A passing fishing boat picked up the pilot. The pilot was unable to reconstruct the maintenance history of the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6500T
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17900
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald L. Martin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SEE · San Diego, CA
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
- 50
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 19,094 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 17,512 as pilot in command · 204 in the last 90 days · 172 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 167 °F, dew point 153 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRQ, 28 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.