Cessna 150F accident near Folsom Lake, California, February 17, 1984
On February 17, 1984 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 150F, registered N8242S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Folsom Lake, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1984 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Folsom Lake, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8242S · no longer on the register · serial 15061842
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 10 MIN AFTER DEPARTURE A TOTAL POWER LOSS WAS EXPERIENCED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. DUE TO ROUGH UNSUITABLE TERRAIN THE PLT ELECTED TO DITCH IN A NEARBY LAKE. UPON RECOVERY OF THE ACFT ABOUT 1 GAL OF FUEL AND 5 GALS OF WATER WERE FOUND IN EACH FUEL TANK. DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION THE PILOT NOTED FUEL GAGE INDICATIONS OF ONE FOURTH FULL IN ONE TANK AND SLIGHTLY LESS IN THE OTHER. NO EFFORT WAS MADE TO CONFIRM THIS FUEL LOAD; THE PLT THOUGHT HE HAD A TOTAL OF 7 GALS OF FUEL. 3.5 GALS WERE UNUSABLE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD CONSUMED ONE BEER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE FACILITY THAT RECOVERED THE ACFT SUCCESSFULLY RAN THE ENGINE.
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: 145 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 101 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,087 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 061 Cameron Park CA at 1:40 am
- Destination: 061 Cameron Park CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.