# NTSB MIA98LA081: Cessna 150A, N757NK, Gulf Of Mexico, February 22, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 22, 1998, 14:24 local (19:24 UTC) - Place: Gulf Of Mexico - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 26, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38458 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA081 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38458/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA081 ## Probable cause a loss of engine power due to undermined reason resulting in a forced landing, and an in- flight collision with water. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - powerplant - undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The pilot said, ' he thought that fuel would not be a problem due to the airplane having extended range fuel tanks which held 40 total gallons and burned 6 gallons per hour...I did a normal preflight inspection including, draining fuel sumps and visually checking the fuel....' He also stated, ' I flew one hour in level flight, after finding fish, I started a left turn in which I remained in for about two and a half hours waiting for my boat to arrive, when I began to experience a power loss so I began checking switches, magnetos and the fuel selector, and I began to rock the wings.' The pilot further stated, 'I should have had two and a half to three hours of fuel remaining, and had been advised by the mechanic/instructor not to always trust the fuel gages as they are not very dependable.' He said he ran the airplane at 2,000 rpm's to try to extend the fuel burn while he was circling a fishing boat 35 miles offshore at 4,000 feet trying to spot fish, the engine stopped, and he started to descend. As he was passing through 2,500 feet the engine started, and he elected to return to land. He was about 15 miles from Key West when again the engine failed. He made a forced landing next to a lobster boat in the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot stated, 'the aircraft was full of fuel at the time of takeoff....' According to the aircraft's manual the aircraft holds 35 gallons and burns 6 gallons an hour which would have given him approximately 5 hours and 45 of fuel on board. The airplane was not recovered from the water, and no determination could be made on the reason for the loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On February 22, 1998, about 1424 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150A, N757NK, registered to Island City Flying Service, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 fish spotting flight, experienced a total loss of engine power in cruise flight, and made a forced landing in the Gulf of Mexico, about 10 miles southwest of Key West, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was not recovered and is presumed to be destroyed. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Key West, about 3 hours 49 minutes before the accident. The pilot said, "he thought that fuel would not be a problem due to the airplane having extended range fuel tanks which held 40 total gallons and burned 6 gallons per hour...I did a normal preflight inspection including, draining fuel sumps and visually checking the fuel...." He also stated, " I flew one hour in level flight, after finding fish, I started a left turn in which I remained in for about two and a half hours waiting for my boat to arrive, when I began to experience a power loss so I began checking switches, magnetos and the fuel selector, and I began to rock the wings." The pilot further stated, "I should have had two and a half to three hours of fuel remaining, and had been advised by the mechanic/instructor not to always trust the fuel gages as they are not very dependable." He said he ran the airplane at 2,000 RPM's to try to extend the fuel burn while he was circling a fishing boat 35 miles offshore at 4,000 feet trying to spot fish, the engine stopped, and he started to descend. As he was passing through 2,500 feet the engine started, and he elected to return to land. He was about 15 miles from Key West when again the engine failed. He made a forced landing next to a lobster boat in the Gulf of Mexico. According to the pilot, "...the aircraft was full of fuel at the time of takeoff...." According to the pilots operating handbook for the Cessna 150A, the aircraft holds 35 gallons of usable fuel and burns 6 gallons an hour, which would have given him approximately 5 hours and 45 of fuel on board. The airplane was not recovered from the water, and no determination could be made on the reason for the loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N757NK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N757NK-1998-08-31), registration cancelled 1998-08-31, S/N 15279871 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150A - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 79871 - Airframe hours: 5557 - Engines: Lycoming O-235L2C 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 25, 1997, 45 hours before - Departed: EYW, KEY WEST, FL - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 7,850 total, 10 in this make and model, 7,850 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 13 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: EYW, 15 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 19980222001639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980222001639A), Feb 22, 1998: Cessna 152, Gulf Of Mexico, FL, Destroyed. Ditched in Gulf on fish spotting flight. Circling for extent of fuel range. Fuel unporting circling left a factor. (.4)the pilot said, ' he thought that fuel… 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.