# Accident 20090129001209A: Bbavia 7AC, Half Moon Bay, CA, January 29, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 29, 2009, 14:54 local time
- Place: Half Moon Bay, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.5183° N, 122.6833° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5183&lon=-122.6833&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2805E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2805E-2012-03-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 7AC (registry code 2110102, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7AC
- Reported engine: CONT C85*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 337 total, 26 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA103) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090129001209A

## Narrative

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

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED REID HILLVIEW AIRPORT IN SAN JOSE, CA WITH LESS THAN FULL TANKS.  THE PREVIOUS AIRMAN, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FLEW THIS AIRCRAFT THE AFTERNOON OF JANUARY 28TH (.6 HOBBS) IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT REID HILLVIEW AIRPORT.  AT THE END OF HIS FLIGHT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE DID NOT FUEL THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO NUMEROUS AIRCRAFT REFUELING AT THE SAME TIME.  NO ONE ELSE FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLIGHT ON JANUARY 29TH.  DURING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PREFLIGHT HE THOUGHT THE TANKS WERE FULL.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THE AIRCRAFT FUEL GUAGES NEVER READ FULL (EVEN WHEN THE TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF) AND COULD NOT RELY ON THEIR INDICATIONS.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED AND FUEL RECORDS SHOW HE DID NOT FUEL THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED RUNWAY 13 AT REID HILLVIEW AIRPORT, FLEW ONCE AROUND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, DEPARTED STRAIGHT OUT AND CLIMBED TO 3,000 FEET MSL.  HE FLEW SOUTH AROUND CLASS C AIRSPACE, THEN WEST (UNTIL WEST OF THE CLASS C SHELF), THEN WEST/NORTHWEST TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN COASTLINE.  (SEE ATTACHMENT)  UPON REACHING SAN GREGORIO, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE FARLLON ISLANDS.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PROCEEDED TO MAKE ONE CIRCUIT AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE MAIN ISLAND AND THE PROCEEDED BACK TOWARDS THE SHORE LINE AT HALF MOON BAY, CA.  DURING HIS RETURN TOWARDS THE SHORELINE THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER (APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES OFFSHORE).  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CALLED A MAYDAY ON 121.5 WHERE AN ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT RESPONDED.  NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TRACON, UPON HEARING THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION WITH ALASKA AIRLINES, CONTACTED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PRIOR TO IMPACT IN THE WATER.  AFTER DITCHING INTO THE WATER, A UNITED STATES COAST GUARD C-130 AIRCRAFT SPOTTED HIS DITCHING AND CIRCLED OVERHEAD.  THE RESCUE WAS UNDERWAY.  THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY SUNK IN APPROXIMATELY 3,500 FEET OF WATER.  ALL AIRMAN FLIGHT RECORDS WERE REPORTED LOST BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

## 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 WPR09CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA103), Jan 29, 2009: Aeronca 7BC (N2805E), Half Moon Bay, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to perform an accurate visual fuel quantity check prior to initiating the flight.

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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