Cessna 150 N18106

Summary

On 12 January 1996 at about 11:38 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N18106, operated by Buchanan Flying Club, was involved in an accident near Suisun, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 January 1996 at 11:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Suisun, California, United States

Nearest airport

Travis Afb (SUU)

Coordinates

38.1904, -121.9309

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N18106

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Buchanan Flying Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Napa → Concord

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX96FA094

2 people died.

the pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather conditions which eventually led to a loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Factors in the accident were: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, his impairment due to medication, the foggy weather conditions below weather minimums, and the dark night.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated pilot had departed Napa about 0200 for a return flight to Concord (Buchanan Field). At 0235 the pilot contacted Travis AFB approach control stating he was unable to land at Buchanan Field due to weather, and requested radar vectors to the Rio Vista airport 12 miles east of Travis AFB. The pilot was vectored to Rio Vista but was unable to see the airport. He was informed that most of the airports in the area were fogged in. Air traffic control then vectored the pilot to Sacramento to intercept a localizer final approach course. The pilot was unable to track the localizer and received corrective vectors on final. The pilot missed the airport where the visibility was below minimums due to the fog; however, the pilot reported seeing lights when flying over the airport. ATC then coordinated a radar approach to Travis AFB which was also below minimums due to fog. The pilot accepted a vector to final approach course for the radar guided instrument approach procedure. He followed the radar controller's guidance and reported seeing the runway lights, but was unable to land on the 10,995-foot-long runway. The pilot turned the airplane to the right while trying to maintain visual contact with the runway lights. The airplane collided with level terrain while turning back towards the airport about 1/2 mile from the runway. The accident occurred 25 minutes after the pilot reported to air traffic control he had only 15 minutes of fuel left. Less than 3 gallons of fuel were found on the airplane at the accident site. The pilot tested positive for amphetamine, carbamazepine (antiseizure medication), and fluoxetine (Prozac - an antidepressant) at very high levels.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.