Cessna 150G accident near Pendleton, Oregon, April 22, 1993
On April 22, 1993 at about 9:21 pm local time, a Cessna 150G, registered N3163X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pendleton, Oregon (Pendleton Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S BECOMING LOST/DISORIENTED AND SOFT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1993 · about 9:21 pm local time
- Place
- Pendleton, Oregon · Pendleton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3163X · no longer on the register · serial 15064563
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED HIS ORIGINATION AIRPORT AND AFTER FLYING APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS LANDED AT HIS FIRST INTERMEDIATE STOP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT REFUELED. DURING THE SECOND LEG THE PILOT BECAME GEOGRAPHICALLY DISORIENTED AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES FLYING TIME, AND WHILE ON A 2 MILE FINAL TO HIS DESTINATION, A TOTAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A SOFT FIELD DURING WHICH THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATED ON ROLLOUT AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. FAA ON SITE INSPECTION REVEALED MINIMAL GAS IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL SYSTEM.
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: 51 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,253 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 1992; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hood River Aircraft, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RDM Redmond OR at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from PDT, 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.