20030404014249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Santa Maria, CA · April 4, 2003

Date: April 4, 2003 · 18:27 local
Place: Santa Maria, CA
Airport: Santa Maria Public
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N21175
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03LA127
Reported as: Piper PA28181
Reported engine: Lycoming O360*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 210 total150 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N21175Registration cancelled Dec 4, 2021 · Piper PA-28-181S/N 28-7990037 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-181 Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot stated that he had filled the tanks up at needles (eed). He departed eed and flew to fox field (wjf) where he landed, received a weather brief, planned and filed an IFR flight to san luis obispo (sbp). He stated that he had 3 1/2 hours of fuel available for the flight from wjf to prb. The distance was approximately 175 miles and was planned to be approx. 1.8 hours. He stated that he would have had 1.7 hours of fuel left for IFR reserve. The pilot did not check his fuel consumption during the flight. He stated that he went over the incident dozens of times and couldn't figure out how the fuel drained to empty. He stated that he checked the fuel caps prior to departure from eed and didn't think that fuel may have siphoned from the tanks. He stated that the engine quit and he was unable to restart. He struck a fence and the supporting posts.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FILLED THE TANKS UP AT NEEDLES (EED). HE DEPARTED EED AND FLEW TO FOX FIELD (WJF) WHERE HE LANDED, RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEF, PLANNED AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT TO SAN LUIS OBISPO (SBP). HE STATED THAT HE HAD 3 1/2 HOURS OF FUEL AVAILABLE FOR THE FLIGHT FROM WJF TO PRB. THE DISTANCE WAS APPROXIMATELY 175 MILES AND WAS PLANNED TO BE APPROX. 1.8 HOURS. HE STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE HAD 1.7 HOURS OF FUEL LEFT FOR IFR RESERVE. THE PILOT DID NOT CHECK HIS FUEL CONSUMPTION DURING THE FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE WENT OVER THE INCIDENT DOZENS OF TIMES AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW THE FUEL DRAINED TO EMPTY. HE STATED THAT HE CHECKED THE FUEL CAPS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM EED AND DIDN'T THINK THAT FUEL MAY HAVE SIPHONED FROM THE TANKS. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. HE STRUCK A FENCE AND THE SUPPORTING POSTS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX03LA127Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSanta Maria, CAThe pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in fuel exhaustion which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight, and a subsequent on-ground collision with a pole and a fence during the ensuing emergency landing.Apr 5, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N21175 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20210407005369ATakeoff: Rotation · Schaumburg, ILWhen: 04/07/2021 15:18Z, the aircraft was then moved by personnel of the [privacy data omitted]operator/flight training provider before informing the FAA or NTSB. The flight training provider informed the FSDO by email to an inspector of a minor occurrence at…Apr 7, 2021 · Substantial damage Accident 19901025047069AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Orlando, FLRan out of fuel on final for destination. Ditched in lake near runway. Did not lean by EGT. Miscalculated fuel burnOct 25, 1990 · Substantial damage