- Date
- May 27, 2005, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Spokane, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1770QCessna 150L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050527008759A
- Case key
- 61603
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 inadequate in-flight decision by failing to fuel, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power while on approach for 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.
Analysis
The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. Subsequently, the engine was prepared for a test run. A fuel supply was added and the engine started without difficulty and was run for about three minutes at 1,500 rpm before it was shutdown. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found.
Factual narrative
On May 27, 2005, at 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna150L, N1770Q, registered to S & S Trucks Plus Inc., and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced a loss of engine power while on final approach for landing to Spokane International Airport, Spokane, Washington. During the off airport landing to a dirt road, the aircraft collided with a tree. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight departed from West Richland, Washington, about one hour and 45 minutes prior to the accident.
The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Spokane, Flight Standards District Office that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.
On June 1, 2005, the engine was prepared for a test run. A fuel supply was added and the engine started without difficulty and was run for about three minutes at 1,500 rpm before it was shutdown. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found.
To date, the pilot has not completed or returned the National Transportation Safety Board, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1770Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15073070
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Scott D. Saltz
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- RLD · West Richland, WA
- Destination
- GEG · Spokane, WA
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- GEG, 3 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.