Cessna A150K accident near Silver City, New Mexico, June 21, 1986
On June 21, 1986 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna A150K, registered N6DW, was destroyed in an accident near Silver City, New Mexico (Turner Ridgeport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1986 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Silver City, New Mexico · Turner Ridgeport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A150K · all A150Ks on the register
- Registration
- N6DW · no longer on the register · serial A1500094
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT TOOK A PRIVATE PLT FOR A SIGHT SEEING RIDE. THE ACFT WAS OVER GROSS WEIGHT AND THE DENSITY ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 9,292 FEET. ON AN APPROACH TO LANDING THE STUDENT PLT ELECTED TO GO AROUND. THE SURVIVING PLT SAID THAT IN A STEEP BANK THE RIGHT WING SUDDENLY DROPPED AND THE ACFT ENTERED A STALL/SPIN. BECAUSE OF THE LOW ALTITUDE, RECOVERY WAS NOT POSSIBLE.
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: student
- Flight time: 125 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,503 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 1986; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1E6 Silver City NM at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,000 ft by 25 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from 5V9, 10 miles away
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.