Cessna 150J accident near Porterville, California, January 18, 2013
On January 18, 2013 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N50690, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Porterville, California. It was an instructional 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
The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2013 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Porterville, 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
- N50690 · no longer on the register · serial 15069486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during a 4.5-hour cross-country flight, and, after making two full stop landings without refueling, the engine lost power while he was returning to his departure airport. A forced landing was made to a service road where, during the landing roll, the left wing tip struck a wood post, which caused the airplane to rotate 90 degrees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. A postaccident examination revealed no usable fuel in the fuel tanks. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and said it was likely that he had exhausted his fuel supply.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 82 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 32 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,138 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2012; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Del-Air
The flight
- Departed from: MAE Madera CA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: Porterville CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from PTV, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.