Cessna 150M accident near Sunnymead, California, July 11, 1986
On July 11, 1986 at about 3:15 am local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704GW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sunnymead, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- July 11, 1986 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Sunnymead, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704GW · no longer on the register · serial 15078609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DEPARTED ON A LOCAL DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH A FIRST HOUR PRIMARY STUDENT. THE CFI SAID THAT 'DUE TO NUMEROUS DISTRACTIONS' HE 'FORGOT TO CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL AND DEPARTED ON THE FLIGHT WITHOUT AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY.' AFTER ABOUT A ONE HOUR FLIGHT, THE CFI SAID THE ENGINE QUIT 'DUE TO FUEL STARVATION' AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND TREES DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 548 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 20 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,480 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 27, 1986; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A48 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIR Riverside CA at 2:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from RIV, 3 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.