LAX86FA220

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-160 · Chino, CA · May 17, 1986

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
May 17, 1986, 08:21 local (15:21 UTC)
Place
Chino, CA
Injuries
3 fatal, 1 serious
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N5412WPiper PA-28-160
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19860517085469A
Case key
24912

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalGo-around (vfr)
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Fuel consumption calculations - inaccuratePilot in commandFactor
Aircraft weight and balance - improperPilot in commandFactor
In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause
Overconfidence in aircraft's abilityPilot in commandFactor
FatiguePilot in commandFactor
Self-induced pressurePilot in commandFactor
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Fuel supply - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Loss of control - in flightManeuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
Airspeed - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Stall/spin - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

At the end of a 5.3 hr flt, the plt entered the traffic pattern & was hi on base & final apch. He elected to go around, but the eng lost power due to fuel exhaustion at about 200' AGL, just past the dep end of the rwy. The plt attempted to return to the rwy. The acft entered a steep left turn in a nose hi attitude, then pitched down & hit the gnd bfr the pltcould recover. Altho the fuel sys remained intact, no fuel was found in the tanks or lines. An inv revealed the plt had taken off with the acft loaded 264 lbs over its max wt limit & with the CG just ahead of the forward limit. He had estimated 4.4 hrs en route, but had extended his VFR flt plan by .7 hr. Calculations showed that if the acft had been loaded within its max limits, 42 to 44 gal of fuel would have been required for the flt. However, flt test data showed that with the acft's extra wt & fwd CG, aprx 51.5 gal of fuel would have been required. Total usable fuel for the acft was 48 gal. The plt had worked a normal shift (1600 to 2400 hrs) prior to the flt. Arpt was scheduled to close at 1300.

Aircraft

Registration
N5412W
Reported as
Piper PA-28-160
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-432
Airframe hours
28
Engine
Lycoming O-360-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Kenneth J. Curfman
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · July 5, 1985 · 48 hours before
Departed
FHU · Fort Huachuca, AZ
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
CNO · Chino, runway 26, 3,856 × 150 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
28
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
196 total · 105 in this make and model · 161 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
3 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
CNO

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.