Cessna 150J accident near Amado, Arizona, December 8, 2004
On December 8, 2004, a Cessna 150J, registered N60469, was substantially damaged in an accident near Amado, Arizona (Amado Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and failure to refuel the airplane at the intermediate stop, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2004
- Place
- Amado, Arizona · Amado Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60469 · no longer on the register · serial 15070332
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a mesquite tree during an off airport landing following a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported that during the cross-country flight he had become disoriented and lost, and eventually landed at an airport he came across. After obtaining directions to his original destination, he departed. In the area of Amado he decided to try to land due to a low fuel state. While he was setting up to land the engine quit running. An off airport landing was attempted, and during the landing sequence the airplane struck a mesquite tree and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported to the aircraft recovery personnel that he had run out of fuel. The recovery firm found that the airplane's fuel system was intact and no fuel was found either in the tanks or on the ground. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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: 480 hours in all; 13 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E78 Sells AZ
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.