20040111011869A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 140 · Vacaville, CA · January 11, 2004

Date: January 11, 2004 · 18:30 local
Place: Vacaville, CA
Airport: Nut Tree Airport
Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N77S
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX04LA092
Reported as: Cessna 140
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 830 total100 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N77SRegistration cancelled Aug 9, 2012 · Cessna 140S/N 11013 · Built 1946 Airframe modelCessna 140 Engine modelContinental C85 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 weather (fog) moved in and covered the airport before the pilot was able to land. The pilot took off from napa airport (apb) he did not check the weather before his flight. While circling Nut Tree Airport the engine quit. The pilot switched to the right tank at that time he declared an emergency by broadcasting "may day, may day" on 121.5. Continental O41 relayed the may day to norcal. Approximately 10 minutes later aircraft engine quit again. All indications are that fuel was depleted from both tanks. Aircraft crashed approximately 1 mile northwest of the Nut Tree Airport.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE WEATHER (FOG) MOVED IN AND COVERED THE AIRPORT BEFORE THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM NAPA AIRPORT (APB) HE DID NOT CHECK THE WEATHER BEFORE HIS FLIGHT. WHILE CIRCLING NUT TREE AIRPORT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK AT THAT TIME HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY BROADCASTING "MAY DAY, MAY DAY" ON 121.5. CONTINENTAL O41 RELAYED THE MAY DAY TO NORCAL. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT FUEL WAS DEPLETED FROM BOTH TANKS. AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE NORTHWEST OF THE NUT TREE AIRPORT.

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 LAX04LA092Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportVacaville, CAthe pilot's failure to either obtain a preflight weather report and forecast for the destination or to add additional fuel, which ultimately resulted in fuel exhaustion and collision with trees.Jan 12, 2004 · Substantial damage