Cessna 150H accident near Pauma Valley, California, January 16, 2005
On January 16, 2005 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22562, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pauma Valley, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power due to an undetermined obstruction in the vent system for the fuel tanks and failure of the fuel caps to vent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 2005 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Pauma Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22562 · no longer on the register · serial 15068363
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with trees during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The student pilot stated that during cruise flight at 6,500 feet mean sea level, the engine began sputtering and finally ceased operating altogether 30 seconds later. During the descent for a forced landing, the pilot attempted to restart the engine four times. While setting up to land on an airstrip, the pilot performed 360-degree turns to lose altitude. After coming out of the second turn, the airplane was too low to make the airstrip so the pilot landed the airplane in an orchard. The airplane had 1/2 tank of fuel in the left wing and the right wing fuel tank was full. Airplane recovery personnel at the accident site drained approximately 2 gallons of fuel from the airplane when they observed the fuel flow to stop coming from the drain. Upon removing the fuel caps, the drain stream returned to full flow. Post accident test-run of the engine did not reveal any operational anomalies. The fuel vent line that extends from the bottom of the left fuel tank and the cross vent line between the right and left fuel tanks were tested using air flow; neither line was obstructed. The fuel caps were tested on a Cessna fuel tank and a vacuum suction was applied; neither fuel cap vented. Examination of the fuel caps did not reveal why they did not vent. The fuel caps provide secondary venting; if the fuel vent line also becomes plugged, no fuel venting is possible. The airplane was recovered a few days following the accident and moved to a storage facility over unimproved dirt roads where the engine test-run and vent system examination took place. Any obstruction in the vent system could have been dislodged during the recovery and transport of the wreckage. According to the operator, the fuel cap and wing vents were checked during the last 100-hour inspection on the airplane.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 34 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,365 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2004; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rison Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SEE El Cajon CA at 5:16 pm
- Destination: HMT Hemet CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from RMN, 17 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.
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.