Accident Overview
On October 26, 2013, at approximately 1345 central daylight time, a Cessna 150H, registration N684RA, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing and nose-over in a field near Livingston, Alabama. The two commercial pilots on board were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from Cullman Regional Airport (CMD) in Cullman, Alabama, around 1215. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight and Precautionary Landing
After purchasing the airplane, the pilot serviced the fuel at self-service pumps before departing to his home airport. About 45 minutes into the flight, he noticed that the alternator was "discharging" and that the fuel quantity gauges were rapidly decreasing. He decided to perform a precautionary landing in a field. Upon touchdown, the nose landing gear dug into soft soil, causing the airplane to nose over. The engine firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that the engine was running fine and did not quit.
Post-Accident Events
After the departure from CMD, a fuel cap similar to those installed on the accident airplane was found near the self-service fuel pumps. The pilot recovered the airplane and transported it by truck to his home in Louisiana, but did not report the accident until January 16, 2014. During recovery, he noted that one fuel tank was empty and the other contained about one-quarter tank of fuel. He stated that the fuel gauges had been reading accurately.
Examination and Findings
Photographs showed a collapsed nose landing gear and substantial damage to the engine firewall. The wings had been removed, and the fuel tanks were detached from the wings. One tank had a fuel cap installed, while the other did not. The pilot and a mechanic determined that the airplane had both a bad fuel line and an electrical problem.
According to Federal Aviation Administration and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1968 and its most recent annual inspection was completed on May 18, 2013, at a total of 7,173 aircraft hours. It was equipped with two fuel tanks, each holding 13 gallons (26 gallons total, with 22.5 gallons usable).
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine, multiengine, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in January 2014.
Additional Details
Both fuel caps were forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. They were found to be similar but not identical; the red paint on each cap was consistent. The flight covered approximately 140 miles in calm winds. Interpolation of performance charts indicated an average fuel consumption rate of 6 gallons per hour at a cruising speed of 100 miles per hour. Engine start, run-up, taxi, takeoff, and initial climb were not computed.