- Date
- March 27, 1993, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- El Paso, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2015ZCessna 150C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 10, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930327007019A
- Case key
- 18717
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 fuel exhaustion induced power loss and the failure of the pilot to refuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain.
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
During takeoff initial climb, the airplane lost total engine power. The pilot executed an emergency landing and attempted to return to the departure runway, however, he was unable to do so and was forced to land on unsuitable, rough and uneven, terrain. An on site investigation revealed that there was no fuel spillage and no usable fuel in the fuel cells.
Factual narrative
On March 27, 1993, at approximately 1215 central standard time (CST), a Cessna 150C, N2015Z, was substantially damaged following a forced landing during the initial climb following a takeoff from El Paso International Airport, El Paso, Texas. The private pilot, who was also the owner, was not injured.
Information provided by the pilot to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that he had taken off and during the initial climb he lost total engine power. He further reported that he attempted to return to the runway, however, he was unable to and was forced to land in an adjoining unsuitable area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2015Z
- Reported as
- Cessna 150C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15059815
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wright, Carl D.
- Registered owner
- Wright, Carl D.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 8, 1993 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- ELP
- Destination
- ELP
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
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,951 total · 1,700 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.