# Accident 20010208001989A: Piper PA28181, San Diego, CA, February 8, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 8, 2001, 18:50 local time
- Place: San Diego, CA
- Airport: Montgomery Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.8322° N, 117.1394° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8322&lon=-117.1394&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8122G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8122G-2008-03-03) (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: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 326 total, 11 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA094) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010208001989A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHILE OPERATING UNDER VMC IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT NIGHT, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS. HE INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED THE FUEL TO "OFF". WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, THE A/C LANDED IN ROUGH TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE A/C SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.4) ON FEBRUARY 8, 2001, ABOUT 1850 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-181, N8122G, IMPACTED A BERM DURING A FORCED LANDING AT THE MONTGOMERY FIELD AIRPORT, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE NIGHTTIME FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY PLUS ONE FLYERS, INC., LOCATED IN SAN DIEGO, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND ORIGINATED FROM MONTGOMERY FIELD ABOUT 1830. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, AND HE CHECKED THE FUEL QUANTITY IN THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS WHILE FLYING ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO RUNWAY 28R. HE THEN REPOSITIONED THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR TO WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS THE LEFT FUEL TANK. HE STATED THAT HE "INADVERTENTLY" SWITCHED THE SELECTOR TO THE                                   OFF POSITION, AND ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ON THE BASE LEG. THE PILOT ADDITIONALLY INDICATED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARD THE AIRPORT. AIRPORT OPERATIONS PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A BERM ON THE UNEVEN SOFT TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 1,800 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY'S THRESHOLD. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT FUEL WAS PRESENT IN BOTH WING TANKS. THE AIRPORT OPERATIONS PERSONNEL ESTIMATED THAT BOTH TANKS WERE AT LEAST 1/2 FULL 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 LAX01LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA094), Feb 9, 2001: Piper PA-28-181 (N8122G), San Diego, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel starvation due to the pilot inadvertently shutting off its supply on approach for landing.

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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