What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 24, 2002, about 1540 pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N2937M, collided with an automobile when it made an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power near Santa Paula, California. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured; two people in the automobile sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal cross-country flight departed big bear city (L35), California, about 1430 en route to Santa Paula (spz). Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that he estimated that he had 30 gallons of fuel on board when he departed hawthorne about 1200. He flew to big bear on the left tank. He flew from big bear to Santa Paula on the right tank. He was in the landing pattern at Santa Paula on short final approach. The engine lost power; he pushed the throttle forward, but the engine did not respond. He was at low altitude and was unable to restart the engine prior to landing on a road. He said the engine did not cough and the propeller was turning. (-23) this instrument-rated commercial pilot stated in a telephone interview that he probably ran the right tank dry. He had approximately five gallons remaining in the left tank, but as he banked for landing, the right tank unported and the engine quit, as he had little or no usable fuel remaining in the right tank, and was making a left turn for landing.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 24, 2002, ABOUT 1540 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-161, N2937M, COLLIDED WITH AN AUTOMOBILE WHEN IT MADE AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA. THE OWNER/PILOT WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; TWO PEOPLE IN THE AUTOMOBILE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED BIG BEAR CITY (L35), CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1430 EN ROUTE TO SANTA PAULA (SPZ). DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD 30 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE DEPARTED HAWTHORNE ABOUT 1200. HE FLEW TO BIG BEAR ON THE LEFT TANK. HE FLEW FROM BIG BEAR TO SANTA PAULA ON THE RIGHT TANK. HE WAS IN THE LANDING PATTERN AT SANTA PAULA ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH. THE ENGINE LOST POWER; HE PUSHED THE THROTTLE FORWARD, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE WAS AT LOW ALTITUDE AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE PRIOR TO LANDING ON A ROAD. HE SAID THE ENGINE DID NOT COUGH AND THE PROPELLER WAS TURNING. (-23) THIS INSTRUMENT-RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT STATED IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THAT HE PROBABLY RAN THE RIGHT TANK DRY. HE HAD APPROXIMATELY FIVE GALLONS REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK, BUT AS HE BANKED FOR LANDING, THE RIGHT TANK UNPORTED AND THE ENGINE QUIT, AS HE HAD LITTLE OR NO USABLE FUEL REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN FOR LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.