Cessna 150D accident near Temple City, California, January 6, 2025
On January 6, 2025 at about 3:58 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna 150D, registered N5943T, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Temple City, California (San Gabriel Valley Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s unfamiliarity with the fuel quantities the fuel measuring dip stick measured and inadequate preflight inspection which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2025 · about 3:58 pm local time
- Place
- Temple City, California · San Gabriel Valley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150D, built 1964 · all 150Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5943T · registry record · serial 15060643
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that prior to the flight, he had measured the fuel levels in each fuel tank with a dip stick, which he had thought measured useable fuel only. He noted that the airplane had a total of 7 gallons of fuel, which he estimated was adequate for about 1.5 hours of flight time. After takeoff, they briefly flew around the area before returning to the departure airport, where they performed 4 low approaches to the runway before they performed a touch and go landing on the 5th approach. During the initial climb, about 1 hour into the flight, the engine momentarily lost power about 300 ft agl. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and turned towards the airport, however, the engine lost power again and he initiated a forced landing to a road. Shortly after, the engine regained full power for several seconds, and they were able to climb to about 75 ft agl before the engine lost power again. Subsequently, the airplane struck trees and a fence before it came to rest upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the left and right wings. The flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that he misunderstood what the fuel dip stick measured, and that it measured all the fuel in the fuel tank, which included unusable fuel (1.75 gallons in each fuel tank).
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 initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,800 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 4,650 as pilot in command; 335 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 18, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,380.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2024; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 4,380 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EMT El Monte CA at 2:57 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 am from KEMT, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KEMT 061545Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 08/01 A3010
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of substantial damage to the right wing
Photograph 2 – Top view of substantial damage to both wingsThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.