Cessna 152 accident near Murrieta, California, September 10, 1997
On September 10, 1997 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N65406, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murrieta, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the flight instructor (CFI) to ensure an adequate preflight of the airplane, and his failure to properly quantify or verify the fuel onboard before departing on a dual instruction flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1997 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Murrieta, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N65406 · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on a dual instruction flight, the aircraft ran out of fuel prior to arriving at the destination airport. The flight instructor reported that the fuel tanks were low; however, both indicator gauges read ample fuel quantity for a 1-1/2 hour flight with 1/2 hour reserve. The aircraft had been airborne for about 1 hour 20 minutes when the engine lost power. Subsequently, the airplane was damaged during a forced landing on a road.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 354 hours in all; 94 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 298 as pilot in command; 56 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Carlsbad Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: F70 Temecula CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from KRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.