# NTSB MIA97LA121: Cessna 150J, N50918, Miami, FL, April 6, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 6, 1997, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Miami, FL - Coordinates: 25.64995, -80.490455 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.6500&lon=-80.4905&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 25, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38248 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA97LA121 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38248/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA121 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate preflight planning and improper fuel consumption calculations which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - soft - landing gear,nose gear - overload ## Analysis The student pilot was on a solo cross-country flight. He stated that he experienced a loss of engine power at 1800 feet while approaching Kendall-Tamiami Airport for landing. He made a distress call and selected a forced landing area. The pilot made a forced landing on a dirt trail. The nose gear collapsed on landing roll out in soft terrain and the airplane spun around 180 degrees. Examination of the aircraft revealed that no useable fuel was found in the aircraft tanks or fuel system. ## Factual narrative On April 6, 1997, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150J, N50918, registered to Kirk Enterprises, Inc., operated by ADF Airways Corp., while on a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed during a forced landing in the vicinity of Kendall-Tamiami Airport, Miami, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The student pilot reported minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from La Belle, Florida, about 1 hour 30 minutes before the accident. The student pilot was on a solo cross-country flight from Miami to Fort Pierce, Florida, with a scheduled fuel stop at La Belle before returning to Miami. The pilot stated he purchased 8.3 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel, and estimated that he had 10.0 total gallons of fuel on board the airplane when he departed for Miami. The pilot experienced a loss of engine power at 1,800 feet in the vicinity of Kendall-Tamiami Airport. The pilot made a distress call, selected a forced landing area, and landed on a dirt trail. The nose gear collapsed on landing rollout in nonsuitable soft terrain and the airplane spun around 180 degrees. Examination of the aircraft revealed that no useable fuel was found in the aircraft tanks or fuel system. The pilot stated to the FAA inspector that he ran out of fuel. He also stated in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report that his fuel/distance/time calculations were incorrect and poor flight planning on his part contributed to this accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N50918](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N50918-2017-05-22), registration cancelled 2017-05-22, S/N 15069641, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150J - Registry model: [Cessna 150J](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150j) (registry code 2071820) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15069641 - Airframe hours: 4376 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Adf Airways Corporation - Registered owner: Kirk Enterprises Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, March 5, 1997 - Departed: X14, LA BELLE, FL - Destination: TMB - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 45 total, 15 in this make and model, 12 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 14 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TMB, 4 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 19970406046229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970406046229A), Apr 6, 1997: Cessna 150J, Miami, FL, No damage. (-23) Mr. Ricci was on a solo x-country flight from tmb-far-tmb. He left tmb(Tamiami) airport with full tanks and stopped in labelle on the return portion of… ## Other investigations on N50918 (1) 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. - [NTSB SEA69F0238](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA69F0238), Apr 12, 1969: Cessna 150 (N50918), Everett, WA, destroyed 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.