Cessna 150J accident near Huntington Bch, California, July 20, 1999
On July 20, 1999 at about 2:40 am local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60169, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntington Bch, California. 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 failure to ensure that adequate fuel was on board to complete the flight. The pilot's basic lack of knowledge of the airplane's fuel capacity was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1999 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Huntington Bch, California · 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
- N60169 · no longer on the register · serial 15070120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he used a dipstick during preflight, which was graduated in four equal increments, but not calibrated for this airplane. Based upon the mark on the dipstick, he determined the tanks were slightly over 1/3 of capacity and estimated he had 13 to 14 gallons of fuel aboard. He estimated 9 gallons would be needed for the flight. During a subsequent interview, the pilot told a FAA inspector the airplane had a 38-gallon fuel capacity. The Type Certificate Data Sheet specifies 26 gallons total fuel capacity with 22.5 gallons useable. Standard tanks were found on the airplane during postaccident inspection. After departure the pilot flew a total of 1.5 hours, completing one takeoff and landing and three practice instrument approaches. On radar vectors for the ILS final approach course at Long Beach, the engine sputtered, then quit. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a city street and collided with multiple obstacles. Recovery personnel reported draining 2 pints of fuel from the left fuel tank and no fuel from the right tank. Following recovery, the engine was started in the airframe and successfully test run.
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: 394 hours in all; 321 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 319 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 1998; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AJO Corona CA at 2:00 am
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from LGB, 10 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.