N2490J

Substantial
None

Cessna 150GS/N: 15065590

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, January 10, 2008
NTSB Number
NYC08CA079
Location
Sarasota, FL
Event ID
20080219X00203
Coordinates
27.259721, -82.287498
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's improper preflight and in-flight planning which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
15065590
Engine Type
4-cycle
Year Built
1966
Model / ICAO
150GC150
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
2
FAA Model
150G

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
SCHMITT RUDY
Address
12109 BONANZA PL
City
BROOKSHIRE
State / Zip Code
TX 77423-2621
Country
United States

Analysis

During a cross country flight the pilot of a Cessna 150G executed a forced landing after a complete loss of engine power. During the landing the airplane nosed over substantially damaging the firewall and vertical stabilizer. According to the pilot, after leaving his departure airport, he stopped at two other airports prior to proceeding to his final destination. Once he arrived at his destination airport, he was unable to turn on the runway lights and began to orbit the airport. Approximately 10 minutes later, the engine began to "roll back" and lost all power. The pilot estimated that he had operated the airplane for 3.2 hours prior to the loss of power and that all of the flights had been operated at 3,000 feet. He stated that the fuel burn had been 4.2 gallons an hour in accordance with the pilot's operating handbook (POH). A review of the Cessna 150G POH revealed that 3.24 gallons was required for the three, engine start, taxi, and takeoff sequences. A review of the airplane's engine hour meter and maintenance records revealed that the airplane had been operated for 4.6 hours. Fuel burn calculations derived from information in the POH, the pilot's stated fuel burn, and hour meter information revealed that a total of 22.52 gallons of gasoline would have been consumed. According to the POH, total usable fuel was 22.5 gallons. A postaccident examination by an airframe and powerplant mechanic revealed no evidence of fuel in either the fuel lines or fuel tanks.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC08CA079