# NTSB LAX99LA269: Cessna 152, N49100, Buckeye, AZ, August 14, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 13, 1999, 19:14 local (Aug 14, 1999, 02:14 UTC) - Place: Buckeye, AZ - Coordinates: 33.38013, -112.549736 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3801&lon=-112.5497&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 14, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47107 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX99LA269 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47107/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA269 ## Probable cause fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations used in flight planning. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, descent - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - tree(s) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis While inbound to his destination, the pilot reported that the engine began to miss. It resumed running a couple of times but finally stopped altogether. The pilot made a forced landing on a dirt road, damaging the aircraft. The aircraft was last serviced with 20.8 gallons of aviation fuel on the previous day. The pilot computed the fuel requirement for the flight by using the fuel consumption chart in the pilot operator's handbook. After a flight of 0.2 hours on the day before, the pilot estimated that he had 3 hours 55 minutes of fuel remaining (without reserve) for his cross-country flight. At the time the engine quit, the Hobbs meter showed that a total of 3 hours 36 minutes had elapsed. The average fuel consumption for the fuel load was 6.8 gallons per hour. The fuel capacity of the aircraft is 26 gallons with 1.5 gallons unusable. When asked about his planning, he acknowledged that his planning estimate of 6 gallons per hour had not considered the additional fuel requirements for his initial takeoff and climb, nor the seven other landings and takeoffs that he subsequently made since his last refueling. According to the POH performance charts, start, taxi, and takeoff requires 0.8-gallons of fuel. Aircraft retrieval personnel recovered less than 2 gallons of fuel from both of the main tanks and the fuel system was found to be intact. Safety Board investigators successfully started and ran the engine after the accident. ## Factual narrative On August 13, 1999, at 1914 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 152, N49100, collided with ground obstructions during a forced landing near Buckeye, Arizona. The forced landing was precipitated by a total loss of engine power during cruise. The aircraft was destroyed; however, neither the pilot nor his pilot-rated passenger was injured. The aircraft was operated by Glendale Aviation under 14 CFR Part 91, and rented by the pilot for a personal cross-country flight. The flight originated in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, at 1645 on the afternoon of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he was inbound to the Glendale, Arizona, airport at 2,000 feet msl when the engine began to miss. It resumed running a couple of times but finally stopped altogether. The pilot made a forced landing on a dirt road, striking a tree with the left wing, and finally nosing over as the aircraft stopped. The aircraft was last serviced with 20.8 gallons of 100 octane low lead (LL) fuel on August 12, 1999, by the operator. The pilot told investigators that he had computed the fuel requirement for the flight by using the fuel consumption chart in the pilot operator's handbook (POH). After a flight of 0.2 hours on August 12, 1999, the pilot estimated that he had 3 hours 55 minutes of fuel remaining (without reserve) for his cross-country flight. At the time the engine quit, the Hobbs meter showed that a total of 3 hours 36 minutes had elapsed (1,790.6 out; 1,794.2 in). The average fuel consumption for the fuel load was 6.8 gallons per hour. The fuel capacity of the aircraft is 26 gallons with 1.5 gallons unusable. When asked about his planning, the pilot acknowledged that his estimate of 6 gallons per hour had not considered the additional fuel requirements for his initial takeoff and climb, nor the seven other landings and takeoffs that he subsequently made since his last refueling. The POH performance charts specify that each start, taxi, and takeoff requires 0.8-gallons. Aircraft retrieval personnel reported that the fuel system was intact and that they drained less than 2 gallons of fuel from both of the main tanks. On August 20, 1999, Safety Board investigators successfully started and ran the engine at the operator's facility. All engine parameters were normal. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N49100](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N49100-2012-12-07), registration cancelled 2012-12-07, S/N 15283418, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15283418 - Airframe hours: 8449 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Glendale Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 10, 1999, 10 hours before - Departed: LII, LAKE HAVASU CIT, AZ - Destination: GEU, GLENDALE, AZ - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 281 total, 62 in this make and model, 150 as pilot in command, 98 in the last 90 days, 62 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 102 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PHX, 40 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 19990813012159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990813012159A), Aug 13, 1999: Cessna 152, Buckeye, AZ, Destroyed. (Tty) forced landing on a dirt road and came to rest inverted. Engine failed. (.19) on August 13, 1999, at 1914 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 152,… 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.