# Accident 20050520010599A: Piper PA28181, Avalon, CA, May 20, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 20, 2005, 17:00 local time
- Place: Avalon, CA
- Airport: Catalina Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4050° N, 118.4158° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4050&lon=-118.4158&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3004U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3004U-2017-05-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28181
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4M
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX05LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA183) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050520010599A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT REPORTED ENGINE PROBLEM TO AVX TOWER, REQUESTED STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 22. TOWER MANAGER SAW AIRCRAFT TURNING AND WEAVING BACK AND FORTH ON APPROACH, WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET HIGH AT RUNWAY THRESHOLD. TOWER MANAGER REPORTED HE HEARD THE ENGINE SURGE AND THEN STOPPED RUNNING. AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY, PILOT ATTEMPTED A 360 DEGREE TURN TO LOSE EXCESS ALTITUDE, STALLED AIRCRAFT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE. PILOT AND BACK SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGER HAD SERIOUS INJURY. ALL OCCUPANTS WERE TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT. AIRCRAFT INSPECTION REVEALED NO FUEL VISIBLE FROM FILLER, AT TANK SUMPS AND NO FUEL SPILL AT SITE.

## 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 LAX05LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA183), May 21, 2005: Piper PA-28-181 (N3004U), Avalon, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to refuel the airplane prior to takeoff.

## Other reports on N3004U (4)

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

- [Accident 19990816012309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990816012309A), Aug 16, 1999: Piper PA28181 (N3004U), Sacramento, CA, Substantial damage. Acft reported fuel emergency prior to forced landing in a tomato field 1 mile n of Sacramento int'l airpor. 1 serious, 2 minor injuries. (-23)aircraft departed…
- [Incident 19961231043489I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961231043489I), Dec 31, 1996: Piper PA28181 (N3004U), Long Beach, CA, Minor damage. Narrative: at approximately 1625 on 12-31-96, while landing at Long Beach airport, aircraft N3004U swerved off the pavement and struck a taxiway sign. The…
- [Incident 19890827045479I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890827045479I), Aug 27, 1989: Piper PA28181 (N3004U), Long Beach, CA, Minor damage. Right gear collapsed on rollout. Bolt attaching right gear to wing missing and holes were elongated.
- [Incident 19860901062109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860901062109I), Sep 1, 1986: Piper PA28181 (N3004U), Blythe, CA, Minor damage. Fuel exhausted and pilot did not think to change tanks after engine quit.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.