Cessna 152 accident near Bridgeport, Texas, June 17, 2021
On June 17, 2021 at about 2:10 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 152, registered N68851, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Bridgeport, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inaccurate estimate of the fuel level during his preflight inspection, which resulted in fuel exhaustion during cruise flight and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2021 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1981 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N68851 · no longer on the register · serial 15285340
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported the airplane had fuel exhaustion during cruise flight that resulted in a total loss of engine power and a forced landing in a field. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear and the pilot was able to keep the nose landing gear off the ground until the airplane traversed through a low area in the field, which caused the airplane to pitch down and the nose landing gear to collapse when it impacted the ground. The left wing rear spar was substantially damaged during the forced landing. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he visually inspected the airplane’s two 13-gallon fuel tanks before the flight and had estimated that each fuel tank was about ¾ full (about 19.5 gallons total). He did not utilize a calibrated dipstick to measure the actual fuel remaining in either fuel tank. According to flight track data, the loss of engine power occurred about 1 hour 25 minutes into the flight. The pilot stated that his inaccurate estimation of the fuel level before the flight had resulted in fuel exhaustion during cruise flight and a total loss of engine power.
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 (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 162.2 hours in all; 58.7 in this make and model; 29.9 in the last 90 days; 2.2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 7, 2020
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,740.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2021; 42.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 14,456 hours total
- Operator: US Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: AFW Fort Worth TX at 12:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 am from KXBP, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KXBP 171415Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 28/21 A3007 RMK AO2 T02810205=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on November 4, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Email Correspondence with Pilot (Jarod April) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Track Data (N68851) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.