Cessna 150 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 27, 2016
On May 27, 2016 at about 8:09 pm local time, a 1969 Cessna 150, registered N60252, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque Intl Sunport airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's inadequate preflight inspection/planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2016 · about 8:09 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque Intl Sunport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 J, built 1969 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N60252 · no longer on the register · serial 15070173
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that while on a cross country flight the airplane's engine started to "sputter" and then stopped. During the off airport forced landing the airplane impacted a ravine. According to the student pilot, prior to the loss of engine power, there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The airplane recovery specialist reported that he drained about two gallons of fuel from the airplane's fuel tanks prior to the airplane being moved. According to the manufacturer the airplane has 3 gallons of unusable fuel. As a safety recommendation the student pilot reported that he should have visually inspected the fuel with a fuel hawk dipstick.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONM Socorro NM at 7:09 pm
- Destination: AEG Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from KABQ, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.