19810503021169A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech 3533 · Palo Alto, CA · May 3, 1981

Date
May 3, 1981 · 15:20 local
Place
Palo Alto, CA
Airport
Palo Alto
Phase of flight
In Traffic Pattern-Circling
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8683A
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX81FVM20
Reported as
Beech 3533
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,673 total53 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot maimanaged fuel system & engine quit on downwind leg in pattern. Aircraft too low & unable to make runway.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT MAIMANAGED FUEL SYSTEM & ENGINE QUIT ON DOWNWIND LEG IN PATTERN. AIRCRAFT TOO LOW & UNABLE TO MAKE RUNWAY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.