Cessna 152 accident near Lubbock, Texas, October 9, 1991
On October 9, 1991 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5399B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lubbock, Texas. It was an instructional 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
FUEL EXHAUSTION AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. A FACTOR WAS THE FBO'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1991 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5399B · registry record · serial 15283861
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING PREFLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT DISCOVERED WATER IN THE FUEL SAMPLES. HE THEN RECRUITED THE CHIEF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, WHO ASSISTED HIM IN SUMPING THE TANKS UNTIL A SATISFACTORY SAMPLE WAS OBTAINED. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS THEN ADVISED BY THE CHIEF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO VERIFY THE FUEL QUANTITY OF THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE THE FUEL GAUGE WAS INACCURATE. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT FUEL WAS OBSERVED UP TO THE FILLER NECK OF THE TANK; THEREFORE, HE DID NOT REFUEL THE AIRPLANE. ON FINAL TO THE AIRPORT, A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A TOTAL OF 1.25 GALLONS WAS RECOVERED FROM THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 43 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,255 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 14, 1991; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Abilene Aero, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N5399B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.