Cessna 150E accident near Goldthwaite, Texas, May 3, 2004
On May 3, 2004 at about 6:00 am local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N3050J, was destroyed in an accident near Goldthwaite, Texas (Llano Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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 inadequate in-flight planning and decision not to refuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2004 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Goldthwaite, Texas · Llano Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N3050J · registry record · serial 15061150
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single-engine airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The private pilot reported that the engine lost power while in cruise flight. The pilot elected to land the airplane in a pasture. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a tree with the left wing, spun around, and collided into a fence. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left fuel tank contained 1/2 gallon of fuel, and the right fuel tank was found empty. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that he had flown the airplane about 4.3 hours since the last refueling.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 88 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COM Coleman TX at 5:00 am
- Destination: 6R9 Llano TX
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 am from BMQ, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.