- Date
- June 27, 1993, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Danville, CA
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2791UCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 15, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930627020589A
- Case key
- 27979
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
The pilot's poor fuel consumption calculations. Contributing to this accident was the downsloping terrain.
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
Before departing on the accident flight the pilot reported that the fuel tanks were full and calculated the total fuel on board was equivalent to 4.2 hours. The investigation revealed that since the last refueling, the airplane flew 0.8 hours. The pilot flew to two different airports before returning to the home base. He also performed two or three takeoffs and landings at the itinerary airports. About 30 minutes after departing the last itinerary airport the engine sustained a total loss of power. The airplane collided with a vehicle during the ensuing emergency landing. The wreckage examination disclosed the airplane contained about 1 3/4 gallons of fuel in the left wing tank. The right wing tank was empty.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2791U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17250391
- Airframe hours
- 3,671
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tradewinds Aviation
- Registered owner
- Manuel J. Campos
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 26, 1992 · 79 hours before
- Departed
- O41 · Woodland, CA
- Destination
- SJC · San Jose, CA
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
- 19
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 81 total · 9 in this make and model · 11 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.