# NTSB WPR19LA155: Cessna 150, N8746S, Garberville, CA, May 26, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 26, 2019, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Garberville, CA - Coordinates: 40.088333, -123.807502 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0883&lon=-123.8075&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 99480 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR19LA155 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99480/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99480 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA155 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the airplane contained 6 gallons of fuel before he departed to conduct three touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. He did not add additional fuel because the airport’s fuel pump was inoperative. The pilot completed one landing and was departing again when, after reaching about 100 to 200 ft above ground level, the engine lost total power. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted a tree and came to rest in a heavily vegetated area, resulting in substantial damage. The airplane had an unusable fuel level of 3.5 gallons. Given the fuel quantity before the flight, it is possible that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel exhaustion; however, the airplane was not examined after the accident and the amount of fuel onboard at the time of the accident could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On May 26, 2019, about 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150F, N8746S, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Garberville, California. The private pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to perform three touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings. The pilot completed one landing and was subsequently departing from runway 36. After reaching about 100 to 200 feet above ground level (agl), the engine lost total power. The pilot turned the airplane to the east (right) to perform a forced landing on a river gravel/sandbar. The airplane impacted a tree, descended through the tree canopy, and came to rest in a heavily vegetated area. The airplane came to rest on a steep slope of the riverbank; the empennage separated from the fuselage and the wings remained attached and intact. The airplane was not recovered, and the amount of fuel onboard the airplane at the time of impact was not determined. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot did not refuel before departing because the fuel pump at the airport was inoperable. Although he knew that the fuel quantity was low, he thought there would be enough to complete the three takeoffs and landings. During the preflight inspection, he used a dipstick to determine that there were 6 gallons of fuel onboard. The Cessna 150 Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) stated that an airplane equipped with standard fuel tanks had a fuel capacity of 26 gallons, of which 3.5 gallons was unusable. The fuel consumption for the airplane was about 6 gallons per hour. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8746S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8746S-2020-08-25), registration cancelled 2020-08-25, S/N 15062046, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150 (F) - Registry model: [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f) (registry code 2071814) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15062046 - Year built: 1965 - Airframe hours: 5372 - Engines: Continental O-200A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 10, 2018 - Departed: O16, Garberville, CA - Destination: O16, Garberville, CA - Airport: O16, Garberville, runway 36, 2,783 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 13, 2016; seat: left; flight hours: 349 total, 205 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: KFOT, 32 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 20190526023589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190526023589A), May 26, 2019: Cessna 150F, Garberville, CA, Substantial damage. On may 26, 2019, at 1430 pacific daylight time, aircraft N8746S, a Cessna 150F, collided with a tree while on approach to the Garberville Airport, Garberville,… ## Other investigations on N8746S (1) 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. - [NTSB SEA67D0295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA67D0295), Apr 10, 1967: Cessna 150 (N8746S), Chester, MT, substantial damage ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99480. 620 KB in all. - Record of conversation (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 620 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11938836&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Z%20-%20Attachment%2002%20-%20Record%20of%20Conversations-Rel.pdf 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.