Cessna 150H accident near Los Alamos, New Mexico, August 10, 1997
On August 10, 1997 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22286, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Alamos, New Mexico (Los Alamos airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. 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
- August 10, 1997 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Los Alamos, New Mexico · Los Alamos · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22286 · no longer on the register · serial 15068193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach to runway 27 at the Los Alamos Airport, about 3 hours 45 minutes after takeoff from Chandler, Arizona, the aircraft's engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot and passenger reported the winds were from the south, and while on final approach they encountered a down draft and the pilot applied full power. 'The engine responded but they hit terrain wings level short of the runway.' The airplane came to rest on its left side about 300 yards east of the approach end of runway 27. The terrain was rocky and sloping up about 20 to 25 degrees to the west. Examination of the aircraft revealed that there was no breach in the fuel system. The carburetor fuel bowl contained approximately 2 ounces of fuel, and only a couple drops of fuel drained out of the fuel line. Approximately 2.9 gallons of fuel were drained from both fuel tanks. The aircraft had two standard wing fuel tanks with a total capacity of 26 gallons of fuel. Total usable fuel for all flight conditions was 22.5 gallons. Total unusable fuel was 3.5 gallons. Winds at Santa Fe, New Mexico, 17 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, were from 180 degrees at 15 knots.
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: 4,000 hours in all; 314 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,539 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 23, 1997; 144 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: CHD Chandler AZ at 3:10 pm
- Destination: LAM Las Alamos NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,550 ft by 113 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from SAF, 17 miles away
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.