# Accident 20040407005199A: Piper PA38112, Mckinleyville, CA, April 7, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 7, 2004, 18:10 local time
- Place: Mckinleyville, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.9667° N, 124.1000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9667&lon=-124.1000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2609F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2609F-2010-01-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA38112
- Reported engine: LYC O235*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 70 total, 60 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04CA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA181) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040407005199A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT ESTIMATED SHE HAD 5 HOURS AND 13 MINUTES OF FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT PER HER PLANNING. MIDWAY BETWEEN GARBERVILLE AND ARCATA THE FUEL GAUGES BEGAN FLUCTUATION BETWEEN 3 GALLONS AND RED LINE. PILOT CONTACTED SETTLE CENTER FOR ASSISTANCE, BUT HAD PROBLEMS WITH RADIO RECEPTION. AIRCRAFT WAS AT 8,500 AND BEGAN TO GLIDE FOR 5-10 MINUTES. AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND STRUCK A TREE AND FLIPPED OVER END AND LANDED ON THE LANDING GEAR CAUSING GREAT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 LAX04CA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA181), Apr 8, 2004: Piper PA-38-112 (N2609F), McKinleyville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loss of engine power due fuel exhaustion, which was caused by the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, inadequate in-flight fuel consumption calculations, and failure to divert to an…

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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