Cessna 150H accident near Orlando, Florida, April 3, 1991
On April 3, 1991 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N6908S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive airport). 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
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REFUEL THE FUEL TANKS BEFORE DEPARTURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1991 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N6908S · no longer on the register · serial 15067608
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A 3 MILE FINAL OVER A LAKE FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APCH, THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT THEN DITCHED THE ACFT & SWAM TO SHORE. THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED & THE FUEL TANKS WERE DRAINED WHICH REVEALED THAT THEY CONTAINED APRX 2.5-3 GALLONS OF FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA, THE UNUSABLE FUEL QUANTITY IS 3.5 GALLONS. THE ENG WAS RUN THE FOLLOWING DAY WITH NO FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION NOTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 862 hours in all; 370 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command; 360 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,832 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1991; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orlando Country Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: X04 Plymouth FL at 4:55 pm
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.