Cessna 150G accident near Riverdale, California, June 30, 1995
On June 30, 1995 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150G, registered N3421J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Riverdale, California. 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 to the student pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and his failure to refuel the aircraft en route. A factor in the accident was inadequate supervision of the student by the flying club and the student's flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1995 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Riverdale, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3421J · registry record · serial 15066121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE COMPLETION OF A STUDENT SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY WHILE TURNING TO LEMOORE NAVAL AIRSTATION AT 1000 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PILOT LANDED IN A DIRT FIELD, AND VEERED LEFT WHILE ROLLING OUT TO AVOID A TRACTOR. THE LEFT WING STRUCK A STEEL FENCE POST AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THREE GALLONS OF FUEL WERE FOUND IN BOTH WING FUEL TANKS IN THE AIRCRAFT'S RESTING POSITION. THE TOTAL UNUSABLE FUEL IS 1.5 GALS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS FLIGHT ITINERARY WAS FROM NAS LEMOORE TO HANFORD, THEN TO PASO ROBLES WITH A FINAL LEG BACK TO NAS LEMOORE. HE REPORTED THAT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AT NAS LEMOORE, THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WAS FILLED TO THE TABS, WHILE THE LEFT TANK 'WAS A LITTLE BIT UNDER.' THE PILOT DID NOT USE A DIPSTICK OR OTHER QUANTIFYING DEVICE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT QUANTITY. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT REFUEL IN PASO ROBLES.
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: 30 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,066 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 4, 1995; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRB Paso Robles CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: NLC Lemoore Nas CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
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.