# NTSB MIA99LA209: Cessna 150M, N3206V, Greenville, SC, August 1, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 1, 1999, 13:54 local (17:54 UTC) - Place: Greenville, SC - Coordinates: 34.849998, -82.399879 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8500&lon=-82.3999&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46954 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA209 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46954/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA209 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power while in descent for landing due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to properly plan and load the fuel required, and the subsequent collision with the terrain during a 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, descent - preflight planning/preparation - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment ## Analysis The pilot stated he left his origination airport with a topped off left wing tank and 1/4 to 1/2 showing on the right wing tank. At about 3 miles from his destination, at about 1,500 feet agl, the engine vibrated and quit. The pilot tried to glide to an off duty runway but collided with a dirt embankment short of the runway. About 3 quarts of fuel were drained from the airplane's total fuel system, postcrash, and no evidence of any precrash fuel leakage could be found. ## Factual narrative On August 1, 1999, about 1354 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N3206V, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed on approach to Donaldson Center Airport, Greenville, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage, the private-rated pilot was not injured, and a passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at 1116. According to the pilot, the fuel onboard when he made his takeoff from Myrtle Beach International Airport was 16 gallons. Most of the cruise portion of the flight was flown at 8,500 feet msl, 2,550 rpm, and mixture leaned. He was in his descent at 2,600 feet msl, and about 3 miles from his landing airport when the airframe and engine began to vibrate and the engine quit. He set up a glide for the nearest possible airport landing site, a closed runway at Donaldson Center Airport, but instead, impacted an embankment short of the runway. According to the FAA inspector, the total amount of fuel remaining in the airplane's fuel system, postcrash, was about 3 quarts. About 1 quart was spilled moving the wreckage, and another 2 quarts were removed, using a 32-ounce container. The wing tanks had not been compromised in the crash and there was no evidence of fuel leakage, precrash. The pilot had mentioned that one of his pre-purchase discrepancies was a leaking gascolator. According to the maintenance records, the fuel selector valve was replaced, and no repeat of the fuel leak was noted. The airplane had undergone an annual inspection about 63 tachometer recorded hours before the accident. From the "Operational Data" chapter of the Cessna 150M operating handbook, the fuel consumption rate at standard atmospheric conditions, with proper leaning, for a cruise altitude of 8,500 feet at 2,550 rpm is about 4.3 gallons/hour and takeoff and climb is another 2.8 gallons. Accordingly, a 2- hour 38-minute flight would use about 14.1 gallons. The accident flight's total usable fuel load , using the pilot's figures, was about 12.5 gallons, (the Cessna 150M operating handbook states the fuel system contains unusable fuel of 3.5 gallons). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3206V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3206V-2000-08-03), registration cancelled 2000-08-03, S/N 15076421 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150M - Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15076421 - Airframe hours: 3993 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jeff Addyman - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 19, 1998, 60 hours before - Departed: MYR, MYRTLE BEACH, SC - Destination: GYH, GREENVILLE, SC - Airport: GYH, Greenville-Donaldson Cen ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 111 total, 111 in this make and model, 87 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 100 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: GMU, 7 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 19990801036989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990801036989A), Aug 1, 1999: Cessna 150M, Greenville, SC, Substantial damage. (.19) On August 1, 1999, about 1354 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N3206V, registered to a private individual, operating as a title 14 CFR part 91… 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.