# Incident 19980805028099I: Piper PA28235, Novato, CA, August 5, 1998

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 5, 1998, 00:56 local time
- Place: Novato, CA
- Airport: Gnoss Field Airport
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.1436° N, 122.5571° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at GNOSS FLD (DVO), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1436&lon=-122.5571&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8524E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8524E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-235 (registry code 7102810, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28235
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 731 total, 4 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980805028099I

## Narrative

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

PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AT GNOSS FIELD, IN NOVATO, CA. MR. CARRIKER SELECTED THE LEFT TIP TANK WHEN HE MEANT TO SELECT LEFT MAIN. MR. CARRIKER DID NOT VISUALLY VERIFY FUEL SELECTOR POSITION PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. N8524E DEPARTED RUNWAY 31, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 100-150 FEET AGL N8524E EXPERIENCED TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE WITH COMPLETE POWER LOSS. MR. CARRIKER ECECUTED A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY OFF FIELD LANDING. UPON MR. CARRIKER'S REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT HE NOTICED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON TIP TANK, LEFT TIP TANK WAS EMPTY. MR. CARRIKER STATED THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTING SANTA ROSA FOR GNOSS HE VERIFIED THE TIP TANKS WERE EMPTY AND HAD FUEL PUT IN THE MAINS. MR. CARRIKER DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FUEL AT GNOSS FIELD AND DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANKS SINCE HE KNEW HE HAD PLENTY LEFT IN THE MAINS TO GET HIM BACK TO SANTA ROSA.

## Other reports on N8524E (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20250419004389I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250419004389I), Apr 19, 2025: Piper PA-28-235 (N8524E), Corona, CA, No damage. The aircraft departed Corona airport (ajo) en route for chino airport (cno). The aircraft was inbound 3 miles south of cno and reported losing engine power.…

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.

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