Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Silver City, New Mexico 88061
Sunday, July 31, 1994 12:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED WITHOUT REFUELING WHEN THE GAUGE SHOWED 1/4 FULL. THE PILOT REPORTED A DEPARTURE FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT; HOWEVER, LOCAL AUTHORITIES REPORTED THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS ONE HOUR AND 20 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE. THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER IN AN AREA OF RISING TERRAIN AND DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN, IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE FUSELAGE, WING, AND VERTICAL STABILIZER. LOCAL AUTHORITIES REPORTED THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT THE SITE. AN FAA MECHANIC FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS OR GASCOLATOR. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATOR REPORT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL AND THE RESULTANT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SILVER CITY
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88061
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1141 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SCV
Elevation of weather observation facility 4462
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1257
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1525
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:43AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5580G
NTSB Number FTW94LA255
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier 150J
Aircraft Serial Number 15071080
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 7 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 4800
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBINSON, J.E. AND J.C.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1219
Aircraft Owner City SILVER CITY
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88062
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBINSON, JAMES E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1318 E. 32ND STREET
Operator City SILVER CITY
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 88061
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1040
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --