# Accident 20020303002949A: Piper PA28140, San Diego, CA, March 3, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 3, 2002, 15:34 local time - Place: San Diego, CA - Airport: Montgomery Field Airport - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.8000° N, 117.1436° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8000&lon=-117.1436&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1775T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1775T-2017-06-14) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA102) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020303002949A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MARCH 3, 2002, AT 1534 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-140, N1775T, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 450 YARDS FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 28L AT THE MONTGOMERY FIELD AIRPORT (MYF), SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED AS A RENTAL BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED MYF ABOUT 1320. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. IN THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA), HE STATED THAT HE ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT ABOUT 1200. HE SPENT ABOUT 1.5 HOURS REVIEWING THE FLIGHT MANUAL FOR THE AIRPLANE DUE TO HIS UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE. HE THEN CONDUCTED A NORMAL PREFLIGHT. HE DEPARTED RUNWAY 28L WITH THE LEFT FUEL TANK SELECTED. HE PROCEEDED NORTH ALONG THE SHORELINE TOWARDS THE DEL MAR RACEWAY (HORSE TRACK). HE THEN TURNED INLAND TOWARDS FRENCH VALLEY AIRPORT (F70), TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA. HIS INTENT WAS TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT F70, HE REQUESTED AIRPORT ADVISORIES. UNICOM REPORTED WINDS FROM 130 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS GUSTING TO 18 KNOTS. HE DECIDED NOT TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO'S AT F70, AND DEPARTED THE AIRPORT ON AN EASTERLY HEADING TOWARDS JULIAN VOR. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE IN THE AREA AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO MYF. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT OVER LAKE CUYAMACA HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK FOR THE RETURN LEG. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE DESCENT FROM LAKE CUYAMACA, WHICH BEGAN AT 8,500 FEET, WAS NORMAL. MYF TOWER PERSONNEL INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO PROCEED FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH FROM RUNWAY 28L. REPORTED WINDS WERE FROM 260 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS. ABOUT 1 NM FROM TOUCHDOWN, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE RECHECKED THAT THE MIXTURE WAS RICH AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS ON. HE CONTACTED TOWER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE INFORMED THE TOWER THAT HE WAS GOING TO LAND ON 28R, WHICH HAS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD. TOWER PERSONNEL CLEARED HIM TO LAND ON ANY RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD AND HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SELECTED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE AND WHEN HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS, HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANY FUEL. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT HE DID NOT OBSERVE FUEL LEAKING OUT OF THE AIRPLANE, AND VERIFIED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS SELECTED TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO VISUALLY EXAMINED THE FUEL SYSTEM, NOTED NO LEAKS OR RUPTURES IN THE SYSTEM. THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED FUEL IN THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK, BUT NOT IN THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK. HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STARTED ON THE LEFT TANK WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. (-23) PILOT MISMANAGED FUEL. PILOT RAN RIGHT FUEL TANK DRY (LEFT FUEL TANK HAD FUEL UP TO THE TAB). AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT ON FINAL TO MONTGOMERY FIELD (MYF). PILOT LANDED AIRCRAFT SHORT OF RUNWAY AT MONTGOMERY FIELD (MYF). ## 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 LAX02LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA102), Mar 3, 2002: Piper PA-28-140 (N1775T), San Diego, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: fuel starvation due to the pilot's mismanagement of the fuel system. ## Other reports on N1775T (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19870304032459I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870304032459I), Mar 4, 1987: Piper PA28140 (N1775T), Brawley, CA, Minor damage. Forced landing due to seized throttle control. 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.