This October 2008 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: 1 Serious. Location: Iowa City, Iowa. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: The pilot reported that he did not visually check the fuel level prior to flight, but had relied on the fuel gauge indications for fuel management. He planned a local night flight to an airport approximately 16 miles north-northwest of the departure airport. Prior to takeoff he noted that the fuel gauges indicated nearly full on the left fuel tank and about a third full on the right fuel tank. He took off and headed for an intermediate airport to do practice ILS approaches. The pilot stated that before the return flight, the fuel gauges indicated a little less than full on the left fuel tank and about 1/4 full on the right fuel tank. The pilot selected a straight-in approach. However, about 3/4 of a mile from the runway the engine began to lose power. The pilot’s efforts to restore full power were not successful. The pilot was unable to glide to the runway. The left wing struck a tree during the approach.
The post-accident inspection revealed that the fuel tanks did not appear to be breached, and that only a small amount of fuel remained in the fuel tanks. A review of the airplane flight log and fueling records revealed that it had been flown 3.4 hours since it was last refueled. Manufacturer’s documentation noted that the airplane’s fuel capacity was 26 gallons total, with 22.5 gallons usable. Fuel consumption ranged from 4.9 gallons per hour at 65% power to 5.9 gph at 78% power at 2,000 feet pressure altitude. Approximately an additional 0.8 gallons are consumed during start-up, taxi, and takeoff. The pilot reported that he had not adjusted the mixture during cruise.
Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot’s failure to visually verify that sufficient fuel was on-board prior to flight.
For more information: NTSB.gov
All I can say is DUH! Yet another airplane wrecked because someone didn’t bother to even check one of the most basic things before getting in the plane.
Early pilot operating handbooks for Cessna 150 unfortunately reflect only checking the fuel gauges on preflight. Cessna finally corrected that problem with the Cessna 152 handbook that reflects a visual check of the fuel. That’s no excuse however and regardless of what the “handbook” or “check list” states the gauges are only useful as rough guide and are notoriously problematic. Moreover, regulations REQUIRE (in effect) KNOWING exactly how much engine operating TIME is available for the flight. No one should ever rely on fuel gauges as a sole tool for fuel management. Another case of the student didn’t learn from the instructor or the instructor didn’t teach the student. It is really amazing how many pilots run out of fuel due to fuel starvation when VFR regulation requires enough fuel to get to the destination plus 30 minutes – this rule has virtually NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWS. I challenge anyone to be able to use fuel gauges only and know that there is 30 minutes of fuel on board……….
Any good pilot knows to follow the checklist-always. Had the check list been followed, or had the aircraft logbooks been checked to see when it was last filled-this accident would not have happened-plain and simple.
Steven meyer
Commercial/Multi/IFR