Cessna 150E accident near Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, April 5, 1997
On April 5, 1997 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N6106T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (Lakes Region 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 improper preflight, and failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion during the initial climb after takeoff, and the subsequent forced landing and collision with a mound of dirt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1997 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wolfeboro, New Hampshire · Lakes Region
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N6106T · no longer on the register · serial 15060806
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot fueled his airplane and flew a cross country flight for a total duration of 4 hours. After landing back at his departure airport, the pilot departed for another flight without refueling. The pilot stated that the fuel gauges read 1/4, but on takeoff he ran out of fuel, and the engine lost power. He performed a forced landing straight ahead onto the runway, and struck a mound of dirt beyond the departure end of the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed less then 2 gallons of fuel remained in the wing tanks. The Pilot's Operating Handbook stated the fuel tanks contained 3 1/2 gallons of unusable fuel.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,593 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 1997; 25 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: 8B8 at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,030 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.