Summary
On May 06, 2006, a Cessna 150G (N3815J) was involved in an incident near Coleman, TX. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain available for the forced landing.
The 2,800-hour private pilot of the single-engine airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power on takeoff. A witness, who is also an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic with inspection authorization (IA), stated that he heard the engine sputtering until the airplane was approximately 250 feet above the ground (AGL); then the engine stopped running. The A&P added that the pilot almost completed a 180-degree turn in an attempt to return to the airport; however, the airplane impacted the ground about 60 feet short of the airport. The A&P moved the airplane into a hangar, and reported to the FAA that the engine broke away from the airframe and the left wing was partially separated from the fuselage.
This incident is documented in NTSB report DFW06CA119. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N3815J.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain available for the forced landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The 2,800-hour private pilot of the single-engine airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power on takeoff. A witness, who is also an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic with inspection authorization (IA), stated that he heard the engine sputtering until the airplane was approximately 250 feet above the ground (AGL); then the engine stopped running. The A&P added that the pilot almost completed a 180-degree turn in an attempt to return to the airport; however, the airplane impacted the ground about 60 feet short of the airport. The A&P moved the airplane into a hangar, and reported to the FAA that the engine broke away from the airframe and the left wing was partially separated from the fuselage. The A&P also reported to the FAA that the fuel in the left fuel tank measured 0.75 of an inch, and the fuel in the right tank measured 0.25 of an inch. On the pilot's most recent FAA medical certificate dated April 11, 1989, the pilot reported his total flight time as 2,800 hours; however, he failed to complete a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) sent to him by the NTSB investigator-in-charge.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DFW06CA119