Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kelseyville, California 95451
Saturday, July 1, 1989 20:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2050
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City KELSEYVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95451
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Dusk
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 594
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40106
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5712E
NTSB Number LAX89LA228
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 17212
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 20 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 4399
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WASSON, THOMAS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 938
Aircraft Owner City LAKEPORT
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95453
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TOM WATSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4475 HIGHLANDS SPRING RD.
Operator City LAKEPORT
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95453
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 1O2
Departure City LAKEPORT
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2008
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 1O2
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --