Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Cerrito, California 94530
Friday, May 24, 1991 15:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL WITH AN EMERGENCY CALL STATING THAT HIS AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE HAD LOST POWER. HE SAID THAT HE THOUGHT A BIRD HAD STRUCK HIS AIRCRAFT. HE GOT THE ENGINE RE-STARTED, BUT IT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ADEQUATE POWER TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. THE ENGINE HAD A SECOND LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT ENTERED A POWER OFF FORCED LANDING. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS FLYING ANOTHER AIRPLANE AND OBSERVING THE DISABLED AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT OF THE DISABLED AIRCRAFT FLEW STRAIGHT INTO AN ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSFORMER WITHOUT DEVIATING FROM HIS HEADING. ON SCENE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL TANKS CONTAINED A TOTAL OF ABOUT 7/8 GALLON OF FUEL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE OR LACK OF INTEGRITY IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO CHOOSE A PROPER EMERGENCY LANDING SITE AND/OR DEVIATE FROM A STRAIGHT COURSE DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City EL CERRITO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94530
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 674
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44927
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:00AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6003G
NTSB Number LAX91FA222
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150K
Aircraft Series Identifier 150K
Aircraft Serial Number 150 71503
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THE FLYING CLUB, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 27273
Operator City SANTA ANA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92799
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code P06
Departure City BULLHEAD
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SNA
Destination City SANTA ANA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --