Cessna 150J accident near Silver City, New Mexico, July 31, 1994
On July 31, 1994 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N5580G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Silver City, New Mexico. 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL AND THE RESULTANT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1994 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Silver City, New Mexico · 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
- N5580G · no longer on the register · serial 15071080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED WITHOUT REFUELING WHEN THE GAUGE SHOWED 1/4 FULL. THE PILOT REPORTED A DEPARTURE FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT; HOWEVER, LOCAL AUTHORITIES REPORTED THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS ONE HOUR AND 20 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE. THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER IN AN AREA OF RISING TERRAIN AND DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN, IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE FUSELAGE, WING, AND VERTICAL STABILIZER. LOCAL AUTHORITIES REPORTED THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT THE SITE. AN FAA MECHANIC FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS OR GASCOLATOR. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATOR REPORT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION FAILURE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1994; 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
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:41 pm from SCV
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.