# Accident 19971118040369A: Propjt 200D, San Carlos, CA, November 18, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 18, 1997, 15:30 local time
- Place: San Carlos, CA
- Airport: San Carlos Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Missed Approach IFR
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.4893° N, 122.2593° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4893&lon=-122.2593&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2910T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2910T-2018-03-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aero Commander 200D (registry code 0140312, https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-commander-200d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PROPJT 200D
- Reported engine: CONT IO520A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,300 total, 295 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA040) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971118040369A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT RAN LEFT FUEL TANK DRY, FAILING TO SWITCH TO OTHER TANKS. (.4)THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE LOST POWER ON FINAL APPROACH AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN SHORT OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT DUE TO APPROACHING INCLEMENT WEATHER HE ABBREVIATED THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. SPECIFICALLY, HE DID NOT VISUALLY EXAMINE THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE TANKS.  THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED ON THE LEFT TANK, WHICH THE FUEL GAGE INDICATED FULL AT TAKEOFF.  DURING THE BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST THE LEFT GAGE STILL READ 1/4 TANK. ON FINAL APPROACH, ABOUT 200 FEET ALTITUDE, THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME TO SWITCH TANKS AND RESTART THE ENGINE BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE ACCIDENT A VISUAL CHECK OF THE LEFT TANK SHOWED IT TO BE EMPTY, AND YET THE FUEL GAGE READ 1/4.  THE PILOT SAID THAT HE KNEW THAT ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS THE FUEL GAGE HAD BEEN INACCURATE AND THAT HE MADE NOTE OF IT TO THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY PERFORMING THE JUST COMPLETED ANNUAL INSPECTION.  AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE LEFT MAIN TANK CONTAINED 1 CUP OF FUEL, THE RIGHT MAIN TANK CONTAINED 1 GALLON OF FUEL, THE LEFT AUXILIARY TANK WAS NEA           RLY FULL, AND THE RIGHT AUXILIARY TANK, WHICH HAD LEAKED AFTER THE ACCIDENT, CONTAINED 5 GALLONS OF FUEL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA040), Nov 18, 1997: Aero Commander 200D (N2910T), San Carlos, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to verify that there was an adequate supply of fuel in the selected fuel tank prior to takeoff.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.