Cessna 150K accident near Sherman, Texas, March 9, 2003
On March 9, 2003 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150K, registered N6066G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sherman, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to refuel the airplane which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 2003 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sherman, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150K · all 150Ks on the register
- Registration
- N6066G · registry record · serial 15071566
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the flight, the student pilot preflighted the airplane and determined the fuel tanks contained approximately 7 1/2 gallons, or 1 hour and 15 mintues of fuel. The flight instructor reported that when he arrived at the airport, the student pilot had already completed the airplane preflight, and subsequently, the flight instructor did not preflight the airplane. The flight instructor and student pilot then decided that they would stop at an airport for fuel before continuning with the instructional flight. The departure airport did not have fuel service available. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, and 3 miles south of the refueling airport, the engine lost total power. During a forced landing, the airplane struck a culvert and came to rest upright. No evidence of fuel was found in the fuel tanks at the accident site.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,067 hours in all; 208 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,880 as pilot in command; 195 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 23, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,321 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2002; 28.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TX05 Mc Kinney TX at 9:15 pm
- Destination: SWI Sherman TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.