# Accident 19990604006449A: Amtr CULVERV, San Martin, CA, June 4, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 4, 1999, 16:13 local time - Place: San Martin, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.0990° N, 121.5994° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0990&lon=-121.5994&mi=10 - Aircraft: N44549, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44549-2013-07-29) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Superior CULVER V (registry code 8730306, https://openairdocs.org/model/superior-culver-v) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR CULVERV - Reported engine: CONT C858FHJ - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,415 total, 70 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA208) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990604006449A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 1946 SUPERIOR CULVER V ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A VACANT FIELD. (FROM .19) ON JUNE 4, 1999, AT 1613 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CULVER V, N44549, FORCE LANDED IN A VACANT FIELD NORTH OF SOUTH COUNTY AIRPORT, SAN MARTIN, CA. THE AIRCRAFT, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM WATSONVILLE, CA, AT 0940 AND MADE AN EN ROUTE STOP AT AUBURN, CA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE OBSERVED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR FROM THE SAN JOSE, CA, FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE, INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED TO THE INSPECTOR THAT HE RAN OUT OF FUEL WHILE NEARING HIS DESTINATION. HE REPORTED THAT HE REFUELED IN WATSONVILLE AND DEPARTED FOR SOUTH COUNTY AIRPORT WITH A PLANNED STOP IN AUBURN. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS AIRBORNE FOR 5 HOURS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM WATSONVILLE WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHEN HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO MAKE IT TO HIS DESTINATION, HE MANEUVERED TO MAKE AN OFF FIELD LANDING IN A VACANT FIELD. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE SAW POWERLINES, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND WHEN HE TRIED TO MANEUVER UNDER THEM. (.4) THE PILOT NOTICED OBSCURED RIDGES EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION AND SAID HE SPENT TOO MUCH TIME LOOKING FOR A CLEAR AREA TO CROSS BEFORE HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT. THE PILOT REALIZED HE WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO REACH THE DIVERSION AIRPORT, SO HE MANEUVERED FOR A FORCED LANDING 4 MILES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY WHEN HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOIL AND GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE PILOT DID NOT REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM HIS LAST STOP. ## 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 LAX99LA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA208), Jun 4, 1999: Culver V (N44549), San Martin, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and failure to refuel the aircraft during an en route stop. 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.