Cessna 150J accident near Sonoma, California, September 5, 2001
On September 5, 2001 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N51256, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sonoma, California (Sonoma Skypark 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
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight fuel consumption calculations and failure to ensure that adequate fuel was onboard the airplane prior to departure. A factor in the accident was the pilot's continued use of the airplane with known mechanical deficiencies.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2001 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Sonoma, California · Sonoma Skypark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N51256 · registry record · serial 15069875
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an approach for landing the engine lost power and the pilot made a forced landing in a vineyard where the airplane came to rest on it's nose. Fuel was observed in the fuel tanks. Fuel recovered from the fuel tanks was 4.5 gallons. According to the manufacturer, 3.5 gallons of fuel is unusable. During the engine inspection it was noted that the ignition switch was defective and did not allow for proper contact with the system. Pressure had to be applied to the instrument panel in order to allow a positive ground to the system for start up. The pilot indicated that the ignition switch had been defective prior to the accident flight and had been that way for some time. A successful engine ground run was conducted with no further mechanical discrepancies noted. Review of the Carburetor Icing Probability Chart revealed that weather conditions were conducive to serious icing at climb or cruise power.
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: 120 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 36 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,070 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPU San Andreas CA at 2:30 am
- Destination: 0Q9 Sonoma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,480 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 am from APC, 8 miles away
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 N51256 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.