Cessna 150G accident near Baytown, Texas, March 17, 2013
On March 17, 2013 at about 3:00 am local time, a Cessna 150G, registered N6389S, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Baytown, Texas (La Porte Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s poor in-flight decision-making and improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 2013 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Baytown, Texas · La Porte Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N6389S · registry record · serial 15067189
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the night, cross-country flight, she had briefly considered an en route stop for additional fuel because of the increased headwind but that she decided to continue. During a shallow turn to enter the traffic pattern about 6 miles from the destination airport, the airplane experienced a total loss of power, and the pilot made an emergency off-airport landing. The airplane impacted trees and bushes in a thickly wooded area, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings and ailerons and the engine mount, fuselage, and empennage. The airplane had a total fuel capacity of 26.0 gallons with 22.5 gallons of usable fuel. Postaccident examination found that only a trace amount of fuel remained in the right tank and that the left tank was empty. The pilot estimated that the fuel consumption rate was about 7.3 gallons per hour and that the accident flight was about 3.3 hours long. Therefore, a total of about 24 gallons of fuel would have been needed for the flight, which was more than the usable fuel in the airplane. The pilot attributed her lack of more serious or fatal injuries to her use of a shoulder harness.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 276 hours in all; 261 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 276 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 27, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,622 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRL Terrell TX at 11:45 pm
- Destination: T41 La Porte TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from KEFD, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.