SEA05CA175

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150J · Roseburg, OR · August 20, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 19, 2005, 18:30 local (Aug 20, 2005, 01:30 UTC)
Place
Roseburg, OR
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
CF-YKOCessna 150J
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 20, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
62283

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and failure to refuel the airplane. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalDescent - normal
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Refueling - not performedPilot in commandCause
In-flight planning/decision - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Forced landingEmergency descent/landing
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterEmergency landing
Terrain condition - open field
Terrain condition - rough/uneven
Terrain condition - none suitableFactor

Analysis

According to the pilot, the airplane was about 7 nautical miles from the destination airport descending through 5,500 feet msl, when "the rpm dropped to 1000 rpm from 2500 rpm. After about 20-30 sec. the engine completely stopped." Several attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and the pilot made a forced landing in an open field. The field was rough, and the nose wheel collapsed during the landing roll. Both the left and right wings contacted the ground, and the airplane came to rest nose down. The pilot noted that "fuel was leaking from the overflow valve." Local authorities responded to the scene and found the airplane positioned nose down with fuel dripping from one tank when they arrived. The airplane was moved back onto the main landing gear, and the fuel leakage stopped. The local authorities reported that the amount of fuel leakage was small, likely less than 1 gallon. An A&P mechanic, who recovered the airplane to the airport, reported that there was structural damage to the left wing and the firewall. Additionally, the mechanic drained approximately 1 cup of fuel from the left tank and 1 gallon of fuel from the right tank. Three days after the accident, the mechanic added 3 gallons of fuel to each tank, started the engine and performed a static run up. The engine started and ran with no discrepancies noted.

Factual narrative

On August 19, 2005, about 1830 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150J, Canadian registration CF-YKO, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during descent into the Roseburg Regional Airport, Roseburg, Oregon. The pilot, the sole occupant, who held a Canadian commercial pilot certificate, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal cross country flight. The flight departed from Oakland International Airport, Oakland, California, at 1458, with a destination of Roseburg.

According to the pilot, the airplane was about 7 nautical miles east southeast of Roseburg descending through 5,500 feet msl, when "the rpm dropped to 1000 rpm from 2500 rpm. After about 20-30 sec. the engine completely stopped." Several attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and the pilot made a forced landing in an open field. The field was rough, and the nose wheel collapsed during the landing roll. Both the left and right wings contacted the ground, and the airplane came to rest nose down. The pilot noted that "fuel was leaking from the overflow valve."

Local authorities responded to the scene and found the airplane positioned nose down with fuel dripping from one tank when they arrived. The airplane was moved back onto the main landing gear, and the fuel leakage stopped. The local authorities reported that the amount of fuel leakage was small, likely less than 1 gallon. An A&P mechanic, who recovered the airplane to the airport, reported that there was structural damage to the left wing and the firewall. Additionally, the mechanic drained approximately 1 cup of fuel from the left tank and 1 gallon of fuel from the right tank. On August 22, 2005, the mechanic added 3 gallons of fuel to each tank, started the engine and performed a static run up. The engine started and ran with no discrepancies noted.

Aircraft

Registration
CF-YKO
Reported as
Cessna 150J
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15070467
Engine
Continental O-200-A, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Hamid Anghaei
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
OAK · Oakland, CA
Destination
RBG · Roseburg, OR
Airport
RBG · Roseburg Regional Airport

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
37
Certificates
Commercial, Foreign
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1
Flight hours
1,447 total · 1,427 in this make and model · 137 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day