Cessna 150M accident near Salisbury Ctr, New York, March 28, 2002
On March 28, 2002 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N3006V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salisbury Ctr, New York (Hamilton Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot's delayed decision to ask for help which led to a power loss due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2002 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salisbury Ctr, New York · Hamilton Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N3006V · no longer on the register · serial 15076348
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been airborne for over 2 hours when he attempted to return to his departure airport. He reported that he set the course selector on the VOR receiver to 330 degrees, for the 26 NM return flight to his departure airport. However, the airplane appeared to track on a heading of 030 degrees. The pilot continued to track on that heading for about 70 nautical miles. By this time he realized he was lost, and noticed the airplane was low on fuel. He contacted the Buffalo Flight Service Station, (FSS), for assistance; however, they were unable to identify the airplane. The FSS asked the pilot to climb, to help in its identification. While climbing the engine began to lose power, and run rough. The FSS gave the pilot a list of procedures to check. The pilot had climbed to about 3,000 feet; however, with the loss in engine power, the airplane started to descend. Passing through about 1,500 feet, the engine shuddered and lost all power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, and performed a forced landing into an area with scattered trees. The airplane struck a tree, and came to rest inverted. The FAA inspector reported there was no fuel in the fuel tanks, and the line between the fuel strainer bowl to the carburetor. There was no sign of a fuel leak on the airplane, and no sign of a fuel spill at the accident site. The pilot stated that he did not lean the mixture during the entire flight that lasted about 3 hours. The VOR receiver was found tuned to the 030 degree radial.
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: 130 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,756 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2001; 267 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: H30 Hamilton NY at 7:00 pm
- Destination: H30
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from UCA, 27 miles away
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.