- Date
- November 6, 2020, 08:05 local (15:05 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ · KCHD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8700GCessna 150F
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20201106020539A
- Case key
- 102244
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 preflight inspection and fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 3
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
The pilot reported that during the preflight inspection, she and the pilot-rated passenger both visually checked the fuel and reported that there was about 13-14 gallons. The fuel gauge showed over half in both fuel tanks. The purpose of the flight was to practice touch-and-go landings. During the last planned touch-and-go landing the fuel gauge indicated on the quarter mark for both fuel tanks. After takeoff and while on upwind, about 300 ft above the ground, the engine lost total power. The pilot then transferred control of the airplane to the pilot-rated passenger, and he maneuvered the airplane for landing towards an empty helipad. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane impacted a ditch and nosed over. The empennage impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage. The owner of the airplane reported that he estimated the airplane had about 8 gallons of fuel remaining based on the airplane’s recent flight history. The pilot who flew the airplane prior to the accident stated that he returned with about 7 gallons of fuel onboard. The owner reported that the accident flight time was 1 hour and 27 minutes. The owner estimated the fuel rate used and reported that it exceeded the fuel on board for the flight time. The airplane was not refueled before the accident flight. The owner reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8700G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15062800
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 3,576.51
- Engine
- Continintal O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Unknown · October 15, 2020
- Departed
- KCHD · Chandler, AZ
- Airport
- CHD · Chandler, runway 4R, 4,870 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 9, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 1 in this make and model · 98.4 as pilot in command · 17.5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,155 total · 0 in this make and model · 2,022.7 as pilot in command · 202.9 in the last 90 days · 88.9 in the last 30 days · 2.7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.78 inHg
- Observed at
- KCHD
- METAR
- KCHD 061547Z 12005KT 10SM CLR 28/M02 A2978
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.