- Date
- September 2, 2002, 10:31 local (16:31 UTC)
- Place
- Deming, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8351GCessna 150F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020902023119A
- Case key
- 55624
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to carburetor ice as a result of the pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat. A contributing factor was the weather conducive to carburetor icing conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane departed from a 2,600-foot long airstrip normally used by local agricultural aircraft. The airplane cleared the airstrip perimeter fence, power lines, and tall trees at the departure end when the engine lost power. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground in a nose low attitude and came to rest in the inverted position among tall sage brush. The pilot reported that the engine lost power due to carburetor ice.
Factual narrative
On September 2, 2002, at 1031 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 150F single-engine airplane, N8351G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during initial takeoff climb from the Luna Landing airstrip (NM26), near Deming, New Mexico. The non-instrument rated private pilot was not injured and his passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane, was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight for which no flight plan was filed. The local flight was initiating at the time of the accident.
Local authorities reported that the airplane departed from runway 08, a 2,600-foot long gravel airstrip, used by local agricultural aircraft. The airplane cleared the airstrip perimeter fence, power lines, and tall trees before the engine lost power. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground in a nose low attitude in a field. The airplane came to rest among tall sage brush inverted.
In a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), the 1,200 hour pilot stated that the engine lost power as a result of carburetor ice.
The FAA inspector, who traveled to the accident site, confirmed availability of fuel, and established continuity to all the flight controls. The inspector reported that the left wing, the engine mounts, and engine firewall sustained structural damage. Additionally, the nose landing gear, propeller, and engine cowling were also damaged.
At the time of the accident, Deming Municipal Airport, located approximately 9 nautical miles northeast the accident site, reported the wind variable at 4 knots. Based on a field elevation of 4,250 feet, a temperature of 26 degrees Centigrade, and an altimeter setting of 30.13 inches of Mercury, the IIC calculated the density altitude at the accident site to be 6,360 feet.
Despite several attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), a completed form was not received.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8351G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15062451
- Airframe hours
- 5,358
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James H. James
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- NM26 · Deming, NM
- Airport
- NM26 · Luna Landing Airport, runway 26, 2,600 × 100 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KDMN, 11 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.