SYLMAR, CA, USA
N69180
Cessna 152
According to the student pilot, before commencement of her first solo cross-country flight, she had performed a preflight inspection during which time she believed that at least 18 gallons of fuel were onboard. After takeoff, the pilot flew to the Mojave Airport where she performed two takeoffs and landings. Thereafter, the pilot climbed to 6,500 feet mean sea level and proceeded toward Burbank. Approximately 5 minutes before all engine power was lost, the fuel gauges indicated about 1/4 full. The pilot made a forced landing and collided with power lines and rough terrain. At the time, the student's total pilot-in-command flying experience was 5.3 hours. The operator reported that records indicated during the 3 days which preceded the accident flight, the airplane had been flown for 2.3 tachometer hours and thereafter, had not been refueled. The accident flight lasted about 1.5 tachometer hours. Cessna performance data indicated that with a lean mixture at 75 percent engine power, the fuel consumption rate would be about 6.1 gallons per hour. At this rate, fuel exhaustion could occur after about 4.0 hours of engine operation or less time if the mixture was not leaned, or if the 24.5 gallon usable capacity tanks were less than full.
On May 18, 1996, at 1042 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N69180, operated by the Burbank Flying Club, Burbank, California, collided with power lines and rough terrain during a forced landing near Sylmar, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the solo instructional flight, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed, and the student pilot received minor injuries. The intended round-robin flight originated from Burbank at 0904. The pilot reported that before commencement of the flight she performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, which included checking the quantity of fuel in each tank. According to the student, the tanks should have contained a total of at least 18 gallons of fuel. After takeoff, the student flew over Lake Hughes and then to the Mojave Airport where she performed two takeoffs and landings. At 0955, she departed from Mojave and headed back toward Burbank. About 5 minutes prior to experiencing the first engine power loss, both fuel tank quantity gauges indicated about 1/4 full, and she was in cruise flight at 6,500 feet mean sea level. The pilot reported engine power was intermittently restored and then lost as she maneuvered toward an emergency landing site. Despite application of full carburetor heat and enriching the mixture all engine power was eventually lost. According to the operator, an examination of fuel receipts and airplane rental records indicated that the airplane had not been refueled prior to takeoff on the accident flight. Moreover, the operator indicated that from May 16 to May 17, the airplane had been rented three times for a total of 3.0 Hobbs hours (2.3 tachometer hours) without being refueled. The accident flight lasted 1.8 Hobbs hours (1.5 tachometer hours). Regarding the student pilot's currency, the pilot reported that her flight instructor had endorsed her student pilot certificate to perform her first solo cross-country flight with a May 18, 1996, date. Also, he signed her flight record logbook authorizing the specific cross-country flight. At the time, the pilot's total experience consisted of 47.5 hours of flight time, of which 5.3 hours of flight time were flown while acting as the pilot-in-command. The airplane was equipped with two standard 13-gallon capacity fuel tanks, which provided a total of 24.5 gallons of usable fuel. Information written in the Cessna 152 Information Manual indicated that under standard atmospheric temperature conditions, when operating at 75 percent engine power, the (lean mixture) fuel consumption rate was 6.1 gallons per hour while cruising between 2,000 and 8,000 feet mean sea level. Based upon Cessna's performance data, the airplane's nominal endurance was about 4.0 hours.
fuel exhaustion due to the inexperienced student pilot's inadequately performed preflight inspection and her failure to refuel prior to takeoff.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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