Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
Saturday, September 23, 1989 14:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED AMARILLO, TX, WITH WHAT HE ESTIMATED AS 15 GALLONS OF FUEL, FOR A FINAL DESTINATION OF MARFA, TX. HE LANDED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REFUEL, AT BOTH MORTON, TX AND LOVINGTON, NM. HE SAID 'THEN I FIGURED THE DISTANCE TO CARLSBAD, NM, AND DECIDED I COULD MAKE IT....' THE PILOT SAID THAT 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF CARLSBAD, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD. DURING LANDING ROLL, THE PLANE STRUCK TREES, DEPARTED THE ROAD, AND ENTERED A DITCH. A POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL IN GASCOLATOR, FUEL PUMP OR CARBURETOR, AND ONLY A TRACE OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE WING TANKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE IN A TIMELY MANNER WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88220
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID CNM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3293
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1678
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40581
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6633G
NTSB Number DEN89LA223
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 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15072133
Certified Max Gross Weight 1470
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 3200
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS STELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 8 BOX 27-15
Aircraft Owner City AMARILLO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74118
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STELL, DENNIS K.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 3 BOX 4406
Operator City AMARILLO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79102
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 No
Departure Airport Code E06
Departure City LOVINGTON
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1220
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CNM
Destination City CARLSBAD
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --