Cessna 150 N50618 accident near Fallon, Nevada

Probable cause

The pilot's improper preflight fuel planning and quantity inspection, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, a forced landing on unsuitable terrain, and a subsequent nose-over.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, during the preflight inspection, the fuel gauges indicated that each tank was half full. The pilot did not visually inspect the fuel tanks to verify the fuel gauges' indicated reading. After a 40-minute local flight, the engine lost power as the pilot was turning the airplane onto the base leg of the airport traffic pattern. The pilot recalled that the fuel gauge indicated that 1/4 tank of fuel remained. He made a forced landing in a flat attitude in a desert. The nose landing gear dug into the soft, dry surface, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that the accident could have been prevented if he had visually inspected the fuel tanks using a fuel stick to assess the fuel quantity.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA20CA010 for the full record.