Cessna 150L accident near Chemehuevi Valy, California, September 5, 1993
On September 5, 1993 at about 1:45 am local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N10669, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chemehuevi Valy, California. 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE NATURE OF THE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1993 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Chemehuevi Valy, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N10669 · registry record · serial 15074962
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON THE RETURN LEG OF A PERSONEL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN A RENTAL AIRPLANE. THE PILOT WAS WITHIN SIX MILES OF A PLANNED FUEL STOP AIRPORT AT 3500 FEET MSL WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE FAILED TO GET A RESTART AND WAS FORCED TO LAND ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS ABANDONED FOR SEVERAL DAYS DURING WHICH TIME DESERT WINDS BLEW THE AIRPLANE UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIRPLANE WAS EVENTUALLY RETRIEVED BY HELICOPTER FROM THE REMOTE DESERT SITE. AFTER RETRIEVAL, THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE WERE EXAMINED. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION. BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE LAY UPSIDE DOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS, NO FUEL WAS AVAILALBE FOR TESTING NOR QUANTIFYING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE POWER LOSS HE HAD FLOWN FOR 2.5 HOURS.
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: 99 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,965 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 26, 1993; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Arizona Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 am from HII, 6 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.
Other NTSB records under N10669 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.