Cessna 150H N22286

Summary

On 10 August 1997 at about 18:40 local time, a Cessna 150H registered N22286, operated by Warren G. Robbins, was involved in an accident near Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 August 1997 at 18:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Los Alamos (LAM)

Coordinates

35.8908, -106.2802

Aircraft

Cessna 150H

Registration

N22286

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Warren G. Robbins

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chandler → Las Alamos

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA303

1 person was seriously injured.

The fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on final approach to runway 27 at the Los Alamos Airport, about 3 hours 45 minutes after takeoff from Chandler, Arizona, the aircraft's engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot and passenger reported the winds were from the south, and while on final approach they encountered a down draft and the pilot applied full power. 'The engine responded but they hit terrain wings level short of the runway.' The airplane came to rest on its left side about 300 yards east of the approach end of runway 27. The terrain was rocky and sloping up about 20 to 25 degrees to the west. Examination of the aircraft revealed that there was no breach in the fuel system. The carburetor fuel bowl contained approximately 2 ounces of fuel, and only a couple drops of fuel drained out of the fuel line. Approximately 2.9 gallons of fuel were drained from both fuel tanks. The aircraft had two standard wing fuel tanks with a total capacity of 26 gallons of fuel. Total usable fuel for all flight conditions was 22.5 gallons. Total unusable fuel was 3.5 gallons. Winds at Santa Fe, New Mexico, 17 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, were from 180 degrees at 15 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.