Cessna 150M accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, November 10, 1996
On November 10, 1996 at about 1:43 am local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N8960U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma. 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 due the student pilot's failure to refuel. A 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
- November 10, 1996 · about 1:43 am local time
- Place
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8960U · no longer on the register · serial 15078030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the approach to runway 36L at the Tulsa International Airport, and after being cleared to land, the student pilot reported to ATC that the 'aircraft was out of fuel and going to crash.' The airplane struck some trees and came to a stop with one wing against a house and the other wing on top of a fence, approximately one half mile from the approach end of the runway. A total of 7-quarts of fuel were drained from both fuel tanks. The student pilot's flight instructor had only authorized him to fly solo for the purpose of practicing flight maneuvers, and not to fly at night or fly cross-country. The pilot reported that 'he went sightseeing and knew he would have to stop for fuel.' The pilot intended to land at the Grove Municipal Airport; however, he could not locate the airport. The pilot then flew to the Vinita Municipal Airport; however, fuel is not available at this airport. The pilot reported that he 'sticked the fuel' and found that the airplane's fuel tanks had approximately 2 inches of fuel. The pilot decided to fly the 44 nautical miles to the Tulsa International Airport to get fuel.
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
- Flight time: 79 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,501 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1996; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,604 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H04 Vinita OK
- Destination: TUL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N8960U 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.