# NTSB WPR26LA065: Cessna 150F, N8155S, Temecula, CA, December 20, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 19, 2025, 20:30 local (Dec 20, 2025, 04:30 UTC) - Place: Temecula, CA · Vineyard Field @ 36305 E Benton Rd, Temecula, CA 92592 - Coordinates: 33.560667, -117.02333 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5607&lon=-117.0233&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 7, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA- Riverside FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202192 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202192/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA065 ## 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 NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: pole](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft inspection event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 229 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 150F, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071814), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the airplane reported that he was conducting a round-trip cross-country flight from his home airport to another airport. The pilot departed his home airport with full fuel tanks (26 gallons of fuel, of which 3.5 gallons were unusable) and he estimated it would have provided about 4.5 hours of flight time for the flight. Upon arrival at the destination airport, the pilot observed both fuel gauges at about 3/4 of a tank, he however, did not visually verify or measure the fuel levels in either tank. The pilot initially stated that his flight time on the outbound leg was approximately 2 hours, 10 minutes. However, he later reported that it was about 1.5 hours. He added that during the return portion of the flight at an altitude of about 8,500 ft mean sea level, the airplane encountered stronger-than-anticipated headwinds, that resulted in a reduced ground speed. He added that he also encountered up and down drafts, which resulted in him adding power and enriching the mixture to maintain altitude and airspeed. As the airplane approached the destination airport, the engine began to lose power and subsequently experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported that he was unable to restore engine power and initiated a forced landing on an unlit road. During the landing flare, he realized that the road had turned, and he subsequently landed in a vineyard. The airplane struck multiple metal ground stakes, which resulted in substantial damage to both wing struts and horizontal stabilizers. The pilot added that for fuel planning purposes, he used his prior experience operating the accident airplane to estimate fuel consumption. Recorded ADS-B data for the initial flight spanned about 1 hour, 20 minutes, and started about 1.5 nm south of the departure airport and ended about 9.5 nm west of the destination airport. ADS-B data for the return flight spanned about 2 hours, 10 minutes, and began about 12 nm west of the departure airport and ended about 6 nm east of the accident site. According to the airplane’s cruise performance chart, at a cruise altitude of 7,500 ft and a power setting of 2,700 RPM, and a lean mixture, the airplane’s cruise endurance was approximately 4.1 hours. The chart also noted that the endurance and range calculations did not include allowances for takeoff or fuel reserve. Additionally, the cruise performance chart did not include fuel burn calculations for a climb from takeoff to a cruise altitude, which is however provided in the maximum rate of climb data chart. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The fuel tanks or fuel lines were not breached. The left fuel tank contained about 4 ounces of fuel and the right fuel tank contained about 1/4 gallon of fuel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8155S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8155S), registered now, S/N 15061755 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150F - 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: 15061755 - Year built: 1966 - Airframe hours: 4482.9 - Engines: Continental O-200-A42 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2025, 30.3 hours before - Departed: HII, Lake Havasu, AZ - Destination: F70, Temecula, CA - Airport: NA - Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; military, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 30, 2025; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,607.4 total, 126.9 in this make and model, 118.7 as pilot in command, 56.2 in the last 90 days, 29 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KHMT, 10 nm away - METAR: METAR KHMT 200635Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 09/05 A3006 RMK AO2 ## 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 20251219021479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251219021479A), Dec 19, 2025: Cessna 150F, Murrieta, CA, Substantial damage. On December 19, 2025, [privacy data omitted], a Cessna 150, departed french valley airport (F70), Murrieta, California, on an out-and-back flight to lake… ## Other investigations on N8155S (2) 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 FTW95LA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW95LA276), Jun 30, 1995: Cessna 150F (N8155S), Garfield, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S DELAYED DECISION TO DEVIATE AWAY FROM THE DETERIORATING WEATHER. FACTORS WERE HIS INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND THE RESULTANT INADVERTENT OPERATION OF… - [NTSB LAX68D0290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX68D0290), Jan 20, 1968: Cessna 150 (N8155S), Mentone, CA, substantial damage 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.