Cessna 150C accident near El Paso, Texas, March 27, 1993
On March 27, 1993 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 150C, registered N2015Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas. 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 FUEL EXHAUSTION INDUCED POWER LOSS AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REFUEL. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1993 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150C · all 150Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2015Z · no longer on the register · serial 15059815
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE LOST TOTAL ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY, HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO DO SO AND WAS FORCED TO LAND ON UNSUITABLE, ROUGH AND UNEVEN, TERRAIN. AN ON SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL SPILLAGE AND NO USABLE FUEL IN THE FUEL CELLS.
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: 1,951 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1993; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP at 6:12 pm
- Destination: ELP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.