LAX96LA002

The airplane contained 18 gallons of fuel (3 gallons unusable) when the student pilot departed on the round robin solo cross-country flight. On the return leg of the flight the engine sustained a total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. The airplane nosed over during the landing roll when it entered a river. Examination of the wreckage disclosed the wing fuel tanks contained less that 4 gallons. The mean fuel consumption at altitude (not including takeoff, climbs, and landing) is 5.7 gph. The actual fuel consumption calculation for the flight was 5.8 gallons per hour.

On October 2, 1995, at 1645 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N63522, nosed over during the landing roll after colliding with a river bank about 4 miles west of Fillmore, California. The student pilot was executing an emergency landing due to a total loss of power. He was conducting his third solo cross-country visual flight rules instructional flight and was returning to Camarillo Airport, Camarillo, California. The airplane, operated by a private individual, sustained substantial damage. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Camarillo Airport at 1400 hours; the flight departed California City Municipal Airport at 1530 hours.

The pilot said in a telephone interview conducted on October 2, 1995, that the airplane fuel gauges indicated that the fuel tanks contained about 3/4 tank of fuel when he departed Camarillo Airport. He did not refuel at California City. The airplane is equipped with long range fuel tanks that contain 35 gallons of useable fuel.

The pilot submitted the required Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2. He said in the report that the airplane contained 18 gallons of fuel when he departed Camarillo Airport. He also said that he flew to California City at 7,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and returned at 6,500 feet msl.

The pilot said in a telephone interview conducted on January 26, 1996, that the flight instructor looked at his proposed flight log momentarily, but she did not "go over it in great detail," nor did she supervise the preflight inspection. He said that he used the dipstick to determine the amount of fuel onboard the airplane.

The operator reported that the airplane contained less that 2 gallons of fuel in each fuel tank. According to the Hobbsmeter, the airplane flew 2.6 hours on the accident flight. The overall fuel consumption rate was 5.8 gph (15 gallons/2.6 hours).

According to the Cessna 150M Owner's Manual, the maximum fuel consumption at 7,500 and 6,500 feet msl are 5.5 gallons per hour (gph) and 6.0 gph, respectively. This fuel consumption rate is based on using appropriate leaning techniques and does not account for takeoff, climb, and landing configurations. The owner's manual also states that the unusable fuel is 3.0 gallons.