Cessna 150M accident near Gila Bend, Arizona, August 11, 1988
On August 11, 1988 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704GJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona (Paul Heil airport). It was a personal 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
- August 11, 1988 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gila Bend, Arizona · Paul Heil · map
- 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
- N704GJ · no longer on the register · serial 15078597
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT OVERFLEW THE RUNWAY LOOKING FOR THE WIND SOCK. UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOCK, THE PILOT MADE AN APPROACH FOR LANDING. THE PILOT DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL TOO LATE THAT HE WAS LANDING THE AIRPLANE WITH A 10 KNOT TAILWIND. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND DUE TO RISING TERRAIN AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY THAT THE PILOT FELT WOULD NOT BE CLEARED. THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.
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: 286 hours in all; 232 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 221 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,572 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1987; 127 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 2:20 pm
- Destination: Gila Bend AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 1,500 ft by 36 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 am
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.