SANTA YNEZ, CA, USA
N76284
CESSNA 152
THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED AN UNFORECASTED HEADWIND. HE SAID HE DID NOT PERFORM ANY GROUNDSPEED CHECKS TO DETERMINE THE PROGRESS OF THE FLIGHT AND AND THEREFORE DID NOT DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT BEFORE THE FUEL STATE BECAME A CRITICAL ISSUE. WHEN FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS IMMINENT THE PILOT CONTACTED THE AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER AND WAS PROVIDED A RADAR VECTOR TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT.
On May 10, 1993, at about 2310 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N76284, collided with a fence, and subsequently nosed over during a forced landing near Santa Ynez, California. The pilot was conducting a visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to Reese Aviation, Livermore, California, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Livermore Municipal Airport at about 2010 hours. According to the FAA, the pilot reportedly told the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center sector controller that he was "critical fuel." The FAA inspector who examined the aircraft reportedly found no fuel in the fuel tanks. He stated that there was a noticeable lack of fuel smell near the accident site. The pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that he had received a weather briefing before departing on the accident flight. While enroute the flight encountered stronger headwinds. The pilot also stated that he had not checked the airplane's groundspeed during the enroute phase of the flight.
THE PILOT'S POOR PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO FLY TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE, ENCOUNTER WITH UNFAVORABLE WINDS, AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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