Rockwell COMMANDER 112 accident near Las Vegas, New Mexico, June 20, 1998
On June 20, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Rockwell COMMANDER 112, registered N1188J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper preflight planning/preparation for a cross country flight resulting in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. Factors were, unsuitable terrain, lack of total aviation experience, and lack of total experience in make/model of aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell COMMANDER 112 COMMANDER
- Registration
- N1188J · no longer on the register · serial 187
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot received his pilot's license on May 11, 1996 and had accumulated 78 hours of flight experience. He recently purchased this complex airplane and had 7.3 hours of experience in it before the accident flight. He was conducting a cross-country flight and diverted south through New Mexico due to turbulence. The pilot stated that his initial time en route was 1.5 hours, however, investigation revealed that he had airborne for 2.5 hours and that the aircraft normally burns 10-14 gallons per hour. He said he lost engine power near Las Vegas, New Mexico, due to 'fuel exhaustion' and landed in soft vegetated terrain. The pilot reported that 'his fuel gauges indicated that he had fuel, so he continued to fly.' He latter reported that he had put 25 gallons of fuel on the airplane before the flight in which the accident occurred.
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: 78 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 48 as pilot in command; 37 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,387 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1998; 138 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CEZ Cortez CO at 4:00 pm
- Destination: FTG Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from LVS, 15 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.