- Date
- January 9, 2008, 19:44 local (Jan 10, 2008, 00:44 UTC)
- Place
- Sarasota, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2490JCessna 150G
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080109014329A
- Case key
- 67363
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper preflight and in-flight planning which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During a cross country flight the pilot of a Cessna 150G executed a forced landing after a complete loss of engine power. During the landing the airplane nosed over substantially damaging the firewall and vertical stabilizer. According to the pilot, after leaving his departure airport, he stopped at two other airports prior to proceeding to his final destination. Once he arrived at his destination airport, he was unable to turn on the runway lights and began to orbit the airport. Approximately 10 minutes later, the engine began to "roll back" and lost all power. The pilot estimated that he had operated the airplane for 3.2 hours prior to the loss of power and that all of the flights had been operated at 3,000 feet. He stated that the fuel burn had been 4.2 gallons an hour in accordance with the pilot's operating handbook (POH). A review of the Cessna 150G POH revealed that 3.24 gallons was required for the three, engine start, taxi, and takeoff sequences. A review of the airplane's engine hour meter and maintenance records revealed that the airplane had been operated for 4.6 hours. Fuel burn calculations derived from information in the POH, the pilot's stated fuel burn, and hour meter information revealed that a total of 22.52 gallons of gasoline would have been consumed. According to the POH, total usable fuel was 22.5 gallons. A postaccident examination by an airframe and powerplant mechanic revealed no evidence of fuel in either the fuel lines or fuel tanks.
Factual narrative
During a cross country flight the pilot of a Cessna 150G executed a forced landing after a complete loss of engine power. During the landing the airplane nosed over substantially damaging the firewall and vertical stabilizer. According to the pilot, after leaving his departure airport, he stopped at two other airports prior to proceeding to his final destination. Once he arrived at his destination airport, he was unable to turn on the runway lights and began to orbit the airport. Approximately 10 minutes later, the engine began to "roll back" and lost all power. The pilot estimated that he had operated the airplane for 3.2 hours prior to the loss of power and that all of the flights had been operated at 3,000 feet. He stated that the fuel burn had been 4.2 gallons an hour in accordance with the pilot's operating handbook (POH). A review of the Cessna 150G POH revealed that 3.24 gallons was required for the three, engine start, taxi, and takeoff sequences. A review of the airplane's engine hour meter and maintenance records revealed that the airplane had been operated for 4.6 hours. Fuel burn calculations derived from information in the POH, the pilot's stated fuel burn, and hour meter information revealed that a total of 22.52 gallons of gasoline would have been consumed. According to the POH, total usable fuel was 22.5 gallons. A postaccident examination by an airframe and powerplant mechanic revealed no evidence of fuel in either the fuel lines or fuel tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2490J
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15065590
- Airframe hours
- 1,651.5
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bill Burton
- Registered owner
- Granville Group
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2007 · 4.6 hours before
- Departed
- X58 · Indiantown, FL
- Destination
- 22FA · Sarasota, FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 3,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- SRQ, 17 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.
Other investigations on N2490J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.