Cessna 150F accident near Windsor, California, January 29, 2000
On January 29, 2000 at about 8:57 pm local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8281F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Windsor, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning in that he did not perform a fuel calculation, and his failure to verify the fuel quantity on board the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2000 · about 8:57 pm local time
- Place
- Windsor, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8281F · no longer on the register · serial 15064381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While inbound for landing at the destination airport, the pilot reported a loss of engine power. The pilot stated to a deputy that he had run out of fuel. A responding pilot from the sheriff's department visually verified that there was no evidence of fuel in the fuel tanks. Approximately 1 gallon of fuel was drained from the airplane during the recovery. An engine inspection and run-up were conducted. No anomalies were noted during the inspection or run-up. In an interview with the FAA, the pilot indicated that he visually checked the fuel tanks during preflight, and that there was fuel in the tanks, but they were not full. It was also noted that the pilot was unable to perform a weight and balance computation for the flight.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 324 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 32 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,945 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1999; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WLW Willows CA
- Destination: STS Santa Rosa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:03 pm from STS, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.