# Accident 19980904046509A: Piper PA28181, Oroville, CA, September 4, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 4, 1998, 19:20 local time - Place: Oroville, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.4996° N, 121.6705° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4996&lon=-121.6705&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2161G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2161G-2017-02-22) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28181 - Reported engine: LYC O360A4M - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 230 total, 50 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA284](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA284) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980904046509A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)ON SEPTEMBER 4,1998, AT 1915 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-181, N2161G, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A ROAD 3 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AT OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PLEASURE FLIGHT TO CHICO, WHICH ORIGINATED IN LONG BEACH WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STOP IN SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING FROM LONG BEACH TO REDMOND, OREGON FOR A FLY-IN AT A KIT PLANE MANUFACTURER. THE DAY BEFORE HE DEPARTED, HE ASKED THAT THE AIRPLANE BE FILLED WITH FUEL, RATHER THAN TO THE TAB MARKERS AS WAS NORMALLY DONE. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) INDICATED FUEL CAPACITY WAS 24 GALLONS PER TANK WHEN FULL AND 17 GALLONS WHEN FILLED TO THE TABS. A REVIEW OF THE OPERATOR'S RECORDS REVEALED THE AIRPLANE COMPLETED A 1.4 HOUR FLIGHT 4 DAYS EARLIER AND WAS SERVICED WITH 14 GALLONS OF FUEL. FUEL RECEIPTS SHOWED AN ADDITIONAL 12.2 GALLONS WERE DISPENSED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED HE PLANNED FOR 3.5 HOURS ENROUTE TO CHICO WHERE HE WOULD STOP FOR FUEL. DEPARTURE FROM LONG BEACH WAS DELAYED UNTIL 1332 DUE TO INCLEME NT WEATHER. THE PILOT HEADED EAST PAST CORONA, CA., THEN FLEW TOWARD LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA. DUR TO MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION, HE SAID HE COULD NOT PROCEED AS PLANNED AND LANDED AT SANTA PAULA. HE SAID HE PERSONALLY FILLED THE TANKS TO FULL CAPACITY. THE RECEIPT INDICATED HE DISPENSED 20.59 GALLONS. AFTER DEPARTING SANTA PAULA, THE PILOT MAINTAINED AN ALTITUDE OF 1,000 FEET (MSL) UNTIL PAST SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA. AT GAVIOTA VOR HE CLIMBED TO 6,500 MSL. HE MAINTAINED THAT ALTITUDE UNTIL PASO ROBLES, CA. WHERE HE DESCENDED TO 4,500 FEET. WHEN HIS GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM INDICATED HE WAS 18 NAUTICAL MILES FROM CHICO, HE COMMENCED A GRADUAL DESCENT. HE MAINTAINED A POWER SETTING OF 2,500 RPM IN CRUIS FLIGHT. HE LEANED THE MIXTURE TO 100 DEGREES RICH OF PEAK EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE (EGT). HE STATED THAT FROM TAKEOFF AT 1552, UNTIL 1650, HE OPERATED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THEN HE SELECTED THE LEFT TANK. AT 1750, HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK AGAIN. HE NOTED THE LEFT FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE HALF TANK MARK. HE SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT TANK AT 1850. HE OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT TANK FUEL QUANTITYINDICATOR WAS BOBBING JUST ABOVE EMPTY. ABOUT 1915, THE ENGINE RPM LOWERED THE PILOT TURNED THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP ON AND SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK. HE OBSERVED THE LEFT TANK WAS INDICATING EMPTY. THE FUEL PRESSURE CAME UP AND ENGINE POWER WAS RESTORED FOR APPROX. 1 MINUTE BEFORE THE ENGINE AGAIN LOST POWER. THE PILOT LANDED ON A ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC. THE LEFT WING TIP CONTACTED A ROAD REFLECTOR. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE ROAD, THROUGH A BARBED WIRE FENCE, ONTO A ROCKY SLOPE AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. ## 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 LAX98LA284](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA284), Sep 5, 1998: Piper PA-28-181 (N2161G), Oroville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inaccurate preflight and in-flight fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. The pilot's failure to obtain the proper engine power setting charts to use in fuel… ## Other reports on N2161G (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19911012053939I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911012053939I), Oct 12, 1991: Piper PA28181 (N2161G), Bullhead City, AZ, Minor damage. Lost directional control of aircraft while taxiing to ramp. Skidded on loose gravel while turning. Hit a fence. 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.