Cessna 150J accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, August 6, 1987
On August 6, 1987 at about 6:43 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N51358, was destroyed in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (Mccarran airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 6, 1987 · about 6:43 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Mccarran · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N51358 · registry record · serial 15069948
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT PLANNED A X-COUNTRY FLT FOR 3.6 HRS. AFTER 3.9 HRS OF FLT, FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED AS THE ACFT WAS APCHG THE DESTN ARPT. THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE ARPT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT ON AN APCH TO A VACANT LOT WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE, THEN IT NOSED OVER & IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A NR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. APRX 6 QTS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FM THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE ACFT HAD A FUEL CAPACITY OF 26 GAL, OF WHICH, 22.5 GAL WAS USABLE. ACCORDING TO THE FLT MANUAL, THE ACFT HAD A CRUISE ENDURANCE OF 4.1 HRS AT 75% POWER WITH NO FUEL RESERVE.
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: student
- Flight time: 79 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,670 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1986; 36 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: U42 Salt Lake City UT at 2:45 pm
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from LAS, 2 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.