Cessna 150J accident near Del Rio, Texas, May 14, 1994
On May 14, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N51150, was substantially damaged in an accident near Del Rio, Texas. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION INDUCED POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Del Rio, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N51150 · no longer on the register · serial 15069798
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT ORIGINALLY DEPARTED WITH 26 GALLONS OF FUEL. BASED ON HIS FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS, THE PILOT ADDED 5 GALLONS OF FUEL DURING AN EN ROUTE STOP. TOTAL FUEL OF 31 GALLONS MINUS THE UNUSABLE FUEL OF 3.5 GALLONS WOULD LEAVE 27.5 GALLONS USABLE FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP. THE TOTAL TIME ON THE HOBBS METER WAS 4.8 HOURS. THIS INCLUDED 3 TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. FAA CALCULATIONS INDICATED THE PILOT NEEDED 28.8 GALLONS OF FUEL TO MAKE THE TRIP. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER, WHO HAD 1.7 HOURS OF TIME IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE, ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE THE ONLY SUITABLE TERRAIN APPARENT TO THE PILOTS WAS BEHIND AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE. THEY DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE FIELD. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL TREES AND A FENCE DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,850 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,010 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,566 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 1994; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mcirvin Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: E38 Alpine TX at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.