- Date
- March 31, 2001, 08:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fortuna, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N60051Cessna 150J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 28, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- WP-OAK-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010331006649A
- Case key
- 51999
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
Loss of engine power in cruise flight for undetermined reasons and subsequent forced landing in water.
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 engine lost power and the pilot made a forced landing about 20 yards offshore. The pilot was flying from the right seat and there were several loose items on the left seat. The pilot's certificate had been revoked as a result of his involvement in an aircraft accident.
Factual narrative
On March 31, 2001, approximately 0800 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 150J, N60051, was substantially damaged when it made a forced landing in the Pacific ocean near Fortuna, California. Visual metrological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight, which originated from Ukiah, California, approximately 0730. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 by an uncertificated pilot/owner who was not injured.
The pilot reported to the sheriff's deputy who interviewed him that he was flying from the right seat and that there were several loose items on the left seat. The airplane encountered turbulence and the loose items struck the engine controls causing the engine to shutdown. The pilot made a forced landing about 20 yards offshore.
A search of Federal Aviation Administration Airman database revealed that the pilot's certificate had been revoked on September 20, 1999, as a result of his involvement in an aircraft accident on August 14, 1999.
Two attempts were made to mail an NTSB Form 6120.1/2 - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form. The first attempt, via regular mail, was sent on April 4, 2001. The second attempt, via certified mail, was sent on May 7, 2001. No response has been received.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N60051
- Reported as
- Cessna 150J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15070036
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leo C. Syler
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- UKI · Ukiah, CA
- Destination
- EKA · Eureka, 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
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Right
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 17 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- ACV
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 N60051 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.