- Date
- June 16, 1989, 12:29 local (19:29 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5432PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890616016099A
- Case key
- 26425
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Fuel starvation due to the pilot's inadvertent selection of the off position on the fuel selector.
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.
Analysis
The aircraft experienced a complete loss of power during the initial climb after takeoff. The pilot executed a 180 degree turn and landed in a dirt area on the airport. Examination of the aircaft on the site revealed that the fuel selector was in the off position. The fuel lines forward of the firewall were ruptured and the aircraft was resting nose down. No fuel leakage was observed. No malfunctions were found during the post crash exam of the engine or the aircraft systems. The engine was test run in the aircraft for about 25 minutes and was found to be capable of producing full power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5432P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-486
- Airframe hours
- 4,129
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1B, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Fauhlhaber, Donald A.
- Registered owner
- David L Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 3, 1988 · 326 hours before
- Departed
- SDM
- Destination
- SEE · San Diego, CA
- Airport
- SDM · Brown Field, runway 26R, 8,000 × 200 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 619 total · 3 in this make and model · 563 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SDM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.