# Accident 20040920022589A: Ica IAR823, Ballico, CA, September 20, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 20, 2004, 14:50 local time
- Place: Ballico, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.5264° N, 120.7958° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5264&lon=-120.7958&mi=10
- Aircraft: N823WT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N823WT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Iar Sa Brasov IAR 823 (registry code 05607X6, https://openairdocs.org/model/iar-sa-brasov-iar-823) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-G1D5 (registry code 41644, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-g1d5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ICA IAR823
- Reported engine: LYC IO540*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,500 total, 150 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04CA326](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA326) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040920022589A

## Narrative

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

(-23) N823WT FLEW FROM RENO STEAD (4SD) TO TURLOCK MUNI (O15) UNDER VFR. APPROX. 2 MILES NW OF O15, WHILE APPROACHING LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RW 30, AT APPROX 1000' AGL, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, TURNED ON THE FUEL PUMP, AND ENRICHENED THE MIXTURE BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN AN ALFALFA FIELD ADJACENT TO AN ALMOND ORCHARD, NARROWLY MISSING THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A LEFT BANK AS IT TOUCHED DOWN IMPACTING THE LEFT WING TIP. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLID TO THE RIGHT FOR APPROXIMATELY 140' PRIOR TO STOPPING. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, BOTH WINGS SUFFERED SERIOUS DAMAGE, THE RIGHT AILERON WAS DAMAGED, THE PROPELLER AND COWLING WERE DAMAGED. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INDICATED THERE WAS LESS THAN 2 GALLONS OF GAS IN THE TANKS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE ERRONEOUS/INOPERATIVE AND THE PILOT RELIED ON A COMPUTER SYSTEM TO DETERMINE FUEL STATUS. THE COMPUTER SYSTEM MEASURED FUEL CONSUMPTION THROUGH A CONNECTION TO THE ENGINE FUEL FLOW AND INVOLVED THE PILOT ENTERING THE FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO FLIGHT. PRIOR TO FLIGHT, THE PILOT BELIEVED HE HAD ADEQUATE FUEL BASED ON THE COMPUTER INDICATION.

## 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 LAX04CA326](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA326), Sep 20, 2004: Iar Sa Brasov 823 (N823WT), Denair, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to verify the fuel quantity on board prior to departure, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power due to an inadequate fuel supply.

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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