On 18 Jan 2013, a CESSNA 150J operated by Del-Air was involved in an aviation accident near Porterville, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During a 4.5-hour cross-country flight with two landings and no refueling, the engine lost power. A forced landing on a service road resulted in a wing striking a post, causing substantial damage. No usable fuel was found postaccident.
Event Details
A pilot flying a cross-country flight lasting 4.5 hours reported that after making two full-stop landings without refueling, the engine lost power while returning to the departure airport. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a service road. During the landing roll, the left wing tip struck a wood post, causing the airplane to rotate 90 degrees. The collision resulted in substantial damage to both wings.
Examination Findings
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no usable fuel in the fuel tanks. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that it was likely that he had exhausted his fuel supply, consistent with the absence of usable fuel in the tanks after the incident.