Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary GAA18CA514

Eldorado, TX, USA

Aircraft #1

N1701Q

Cessna 150

Analysis

The pilot reported that he departed with 26 gallons of fuel. He added that, about 3.5 hours into the flight, he asked flight following where the closest airports were because he had become concerned that he was "near the fuel limit." During their exchange, the engine lost power. He declared an emergency, rocked the wings, applied full-rich mixture, and restarted the engine, "which worked [for] 15 seconds or less." He then conducted an emergency landing near the end of a road, and the airplane bounced, veered left, impacted a pipe, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual Information

The pilot reported that he departed with 26 gallons of fuel. He added that, about 3.5 hours enroute, he asked flight following where the closest airports were because he had become concerned he was "near the fuel limit". During their exchange, the engine lost power. He declared an emergency, rocked the wings, applied full rich mixture, and restarted the engine, "which worked 15 seconds or less". During the emergency approach, he landed on a road. He landed near the end of the road, the airplane bounced, veered to the left, impacted a pipe, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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