Cessna 150G accident near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, July 15, 2022
On July 15, 2022 at about 3:10 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 150G, registered N3301J, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Tuscaloosa Ntl airport). 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 student pilot’s inadvertent use of the fuel mixture knob instead of the carburetor heat knob, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent 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
- July 15, 2022 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama · Tuscaloosa Ntl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G, built 1966 · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3301J · no longer on the register · serial 15066001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing pattern work and while turning onto the base leg of the traffic pattern, inadvertently pulled the mixture knob instead of applying carburetor heat, resulting in a total loss of power. She attempted to restart the engine by pushing the mixture knob back in, however, the propeller had already stopped rotating and the engine did not restart. The student pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a field. During the approach to the field, she realized the airplane was too fast and decided to land in an adjacent field. During the landing, the right wing of the airplane struck a guy wire, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach
- Fuel starvation during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Mixture control › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 58.7 hours in all; 44.6 in this make and model; 4.3 in the last 90 days; 4.3 in the last 30 days; 13.3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,911.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2022; 4.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 29,119 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04/2, 6,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from TCL
Weather report (METAR): KTCL 152053Z 00000KT 10SM FEW100 34/22 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP178 T03390217 56017
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 31, 2022. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 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.