Cessna 150 accident near Tucson, Arizona, June 12, 1992
On June 12, 1992 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6972G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW V.F.R. PROCEDURES; INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPERATION; AND IMPROPER FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS 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
- June 12, 1992 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6972G · no longer on the register · serial 213352
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN RETURNING FROM A ROUND-ROBIN FLIGHT THE PILOT REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT 25 MILES SHORT OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AND THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 27 DEGREES ABOVE STANDARD. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THAT THE AIRPLANE CONTAINED LESS THAN THE UNUSABLE AMOUNT OF FUEL. FUEL CALCULATIONS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THE FLIGHT WITH ABOUT 1.3 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING, SHORT OF THE REQUIRED FUEL RESERVES. THESE CALCULATIONS WERE BASED ON THE PILOT'S STATEMENT REGARDING THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND THAT HIS CLIMB PERFORMANCE AND FUEL LEANING PROCEDURES WERE PROPER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 237 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 162 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,887 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 8, 1992; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Double Eagle Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SJN St. Johns AZ at 9:30 pm
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from TUS, 3 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.