Cessna 150M accident near Gooding, Idaho, June 14, 1989
On June 14, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gooding, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION OF THE PILOT TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT WITHOUT REFUELING WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gooding, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704AS · registry record · serial 15078464
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PVT PLT AND PASSENGER, DEPARTED SALEM, OR, ON AN EXTENDED CROSS COUNTRY FLT WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF HAILEY, ID. SEVERAL EN ROUTE STOPS WERE MADE. WHILE ON AN APPROACH TO GOODING, ID, HIS LAST INTENDED STOP, THE ENG QUIT. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT, THE ACFT STRUCK A POWER LINE AND CRASHED. AN FAA INSPECTOR AT THE CRASH SITE NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANKS. A POST CRASH EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE PRIOR TO THE WIRE STRIKE. THE ACFT HAD BEEN IN THE AIR FOR OVER 3 HOURS WITHOUT REFUELING. FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7.2 GPH DURING THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT. THE FUEL IN THE AIRPLANE AT THE LAST TAKEOFF AFTER FUELING WAS 22.5 GALS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 83 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDT Pendelton OR at 7:05 pm
- Destination: GNG Gooding ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN89LA136.