Cessna 150J accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, April 24, 1986
On April 24, 1986 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60126, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Pulliam airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1986 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Pulliam · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60126 · no longer on the register · serial 15070089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING A ROUND-ROBIN FLIGHT FROM COTTONWOOD, AZ TO PAGE, AZ, AND RETURN. THE PILOT HAD LANDED AT PAGE, AZ. WHILE ON THE RETURN LEG OF THE FLIGHT THE PILOT NOTED HIS FUEL GAUGES WERE 'LOW' AND DIVERTED TO FLAGSTAFF, AZ. WHEN THE ACFT WAS NORTHEAST OF FLAGSTAFF AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. WHILE NEGOTIATING AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A ROAD THE PILOT OBSERVED UNMARKED POWERLINES THAT CROSSED THE ROAD AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO 'PULL UP OVER THE POWERLINES' THE ACFT STALLED AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FUEL. THE EXACT ACFT FLIGHT TIME COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS BASED ON THE PILOT'S STATED ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND TAKEOFF AND LANDING DISCLOSED THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE CONSUMED 20.8 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE ACFT HAS 22.5 GALLONS OF USEABLE FUEL. THE CALCULATIONS ASSUME OPTIMUM WEATHER CONDITIONS AND PILOT TECHNIQUES.
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: 200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 170 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,194 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGA Page AZ at 3:55 pm
- Destination: P52 Cottonwood AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 16 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:01 pm from FLG, 1 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.