Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary FTW93LA129

HOUSTON, TX, USA

Aircraft #1

N6099G

CESSNA 150K

Analysis

THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD FLOWN APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AND FORTY FIVE MINUTES AND WHEN CLEARED FOR LANDING AT HIS DESTINATION, HE REPORTED TO THE CONTROL TOWER THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. HE THEN REPORTED THE ENGINE HAD QUIT AND HE DID NOT THINK HE COULD MAKE THE RUNWAY FROM HIS CURRENT ALTITUDE OF 1,800 FEET MSL. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD APPROXIMATELY 1,331 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 17. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED UPON IMPACT AND THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 17 FEET WHERE IT NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS AND NO LEAKAGE WAS REPORTED BY AIRCRAFT RESCUE AND FIRE FIGHTING PERSONNEL. THE CARBURETOR'S VENTURI WAS FOUND TO BE DIRTY

Factual Information

On April 12, 1993, at approximately 2100 central daylight time, a Cessna 150K, N6099G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing approximately 1,331 feet short of runway 17 at William P. Hobby Airport, Houston, Texas. The private pilot and a pilot rated passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. The flight departed Grand Prairie Airport, Grand Prairie, Texas, at approximately 1815. The flight to the Houston area was uneventful, according to the pilot. The tower tape was reviewed by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who stated that the pilot reported his airplane running out of gas while on final approach to the runway at approximately 1,800 feet mean sea level. He then radioed that the airplane was out of gas and his engine had quit. His last transmission was that he did not think he was going to make the runway. The following information was reported by the FAA assigned inspector. The airplane was inspected by the FAA and no mechanical anomalies were noted. No fuel was in the tanks and according to aircraft rescue and fire fighter personnel at the accident site, there was no fuel leakage and no stained grass surrounding the airplane. The fuel selector switch was on the both position. One propeller blade was found bent back under the bottom of the engine. The other blade was bent back as well. Neither displayed torsional rotation signatures. The propeller spinner was found crushed on one side. The engine's crankshaft was bent. The engine and cowling were partially separated from the bottom of the firewall. The airplane nosed over approximately 16.9 feet from initial impact.

Probable Cause and Findings

FUEL EXHAUSTION INDUCED POWER LOSS AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. A FACTOR WAS THE EXISTING NIGHT CONDITIONS

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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