Cessna 150L accident near Pescadero, California, January 11, 2009
On January 11, 2009, a Cessna 150L, registered N21999, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pescadero, California (Half Moon Bay, Ca airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning and preparation. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a suitable area for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2009
- Place
- Pescadero, California · Half Moon Bay, Ca · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N21999 · no longer on the register · serial 15074600
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane left Monterey with the left fuel tank at 5/8 full and the right fuel tank at 1/4 full. After flying 60 miles, the pilot noted that the left fuel gage read zero and the right fuel gauge read 1/8. The remaining 20 miles of the flight was to be over water and rugged coast line. Due to the airplane's low fuel state, the pilot decided to make a precautionary landing into a freshly plowed field. At the end of the landing roll the airplane nosed over.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel related during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 153 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 22, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,548 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 2008; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMRY Monterey CA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: KHAF Half Moon Bay CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.