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LAX86LA180

1986-04-16 · JOSHUA TREE, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport L22

Current FAA registration · N6398G

Make / Model
CESSNA 150K
Year of manufacture
1970 · 16 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES (100 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19700429
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A862A2

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE PLT LANDED AT THE YUCCA VALLEY ARPT TO REFUEL, BUT NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE. THE ACFT FUEL GAGES REGISTERED 1/8 & 1/4 FULL, SO THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A PLANNED 7 MIN FLT TO ANOTHER ARPT. ABOUT 4 MIN AFTER DEPARTING, FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED.DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A JOSHUA TREE & NOSED OVER. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE ACFT 'RAN OUT OF FUEL.' HIS LAST BFR WAS ACCOMPLISHED ABOUT 30 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ABOUT 3 HRS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, SHERIFF PERSONNEL ADMINISTERED A FIELD SOBRIETY TEST TO THE PLT WHICH SHOWED THAT HIS ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.10. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_LAX86LA180.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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