Cessna 150 N5712E

Summary

On 2 July 1989 at about 03:50 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N5712E, operated by TOM Watson, was involved in an accident near Kelseyville, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 1989 at 03:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Kelseyville, California, United States

Coordinates

38.9107, -122.7894

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N5712E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

TOM Watson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lakeport → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX89LA228

Nobody was injured.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATIONS AND THE IMPROPER FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS BY THE PILOT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT SAID HE CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS BY DIPPING THEM AND VISUALLY LOOKING IN THEM. HE DETERMINED HE HAD 6 TO 7 GALLONS, THAT HE THOUGHT WOULD BE GOOD FOR APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR OR MORE. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED ON THE FLIGHT AT 2008 PDT AND CRASHED AT 2050 PDT. THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE ENGINE PROBLEM SO HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A PASTURE. DURING THE ROLLOUT, THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A FENCE POST. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION INDICATED NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND APPROXIMATELY 2 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK. A CONSERVATION FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURE FOR THIS TYPE FLIGHT IS FIVE GPH ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT MANUAL. THE FLIGHT MANUAL ALSO LISTS THE LAST 3 TO 3.5 GALLONS OF FUEL AS UNUSABLE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.