Cessna 150L accident near Palm Springs, California, September 21, 1990
On September 21, 1990 at about 2:15 am local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N10797, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Springs, California. 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
FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PREPARATION, AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1990 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N10797 · registry record · serial 15075048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PLANNED TO PRACTICE FLYING USING INSTRUMENTS, AND HE HAD A SAFETY PILOT ACCOMPANY HIM. DURING THE FLIGHT ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A NEARBY AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE AIRPORT, SO HE LANDED NEARBY ON DESSERT TERRAIN. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A BERM. THE PLOT SUBSEQUENTLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF 'FUEL STARVATION.' THE PILOT HAD 57 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME IN THE CESSNA AIRPLANE, AND HE HAD BEEN A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT FOR TWO MONTHS.
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: 95 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 65 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: RAL Riverside CA at 1:15 am
- Destination: PSP Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N10797 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.