Colusa County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colusa, California 95932
Thursday, June 13, 1985 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT AT NIGHT WITH A FLASHLIGHT AND NOTED 12-15 GALS OF FUEL IN THE TANKS. UPON LEVEL OFF AT 5500 FT AGL HE NOTED A SLIGHT LACK OF ENGINE POWER. HE ALSO NOTED THAT ONE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE OTHER TANK READ 1/4 FULL. BECAUSE OF THESE FACTORS HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO AN ARPT HE HAD IN SIGHT. DURING THE DESCENT TO THAT ARPT, THE ENG QUIT RUNNING. THE PLT THEN PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING IN TREES. THE ACFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT IN A DRAINAGE DITCH APRX 50 YARDS FROM THE ARPT RWY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/13/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 25
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COLUSA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95932
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COLUSA COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 008
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 47
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Night/Bright
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
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) 29
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) 855
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 13 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28082
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N704FU
NTSB Number LAX85LA272
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 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15078583
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 20 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 2892
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAN FREGIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 971
Aircraft Owner City ORLAND
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95963
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 069
Departure City PETALUMA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2315
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 037
Destination City ORLAND
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --