# NTSB LAX95LA218: ED Bergreen KIS, N62TW, San Leandro, CA, June 20, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 20, 1995, 15:09 local (22:09 UTC) - Place: San Leandro, CA - Coordinates: 37.710514, -122.159194 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7105&lon=-122.1592&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 6, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29123 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA218 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29123/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA218 ## Probable cause the pilot's poor preflight preparation and in-flight decision to overfly a suitable airport when it was evident that he was having an engine problem. The fuel exhaustion was a factor in this accident. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - preflight planning/preparation - poor, pilot in command (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (cause) - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency ## Analysis THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE CONTAINED 17 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE WING TANKS BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. ABOUT 5 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. HE ADVISED ATC THAT THE ENGINE WAS MISSING AND RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS TOWARD THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE PILOT OVERFLEW THE NEAREST AIRPORT TO LAND AT ANOTHER AIRPORT, THINKING THAT THE AIRPLANE ALTITUDE WAS SUFFICIENT TO NEGOTIATE THE SELECTED AIRPORT IF THERE WAS A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE SELECTED AIRPORT AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY AND LANDED BEHIND A MIDDLE SCHOOL. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT NEITHER THE AIRFRAME NOR ENGINE FUEL SYSTEMS WERE COMPROMISED AND THAT THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK CONTAINED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL AND THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. INVESTIGATORS WERE UNABLE TO DRAIN ANY FUEL FROM THE GASCOLATOR. ## Factual narrative On June 20, 1995, at 1509 hours Pacific daylight time, an Ed Bergreen KIS experimental airplane, N62TW, crashed into a school yard at San Leandro, California, while executing an emergency landing due to a loss of power. The pilot was conducting a visual flight rules personal flight to Santa Rosa, California. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at San Jose International Airport, San Jose, California, about 1500 hours. The pilot told National Transportation Safety Board investigators in a telephone interview on June 20, 1995, that while en route to Santa Rosa, California, the engine began to sputter while flying at 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl). He advised the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Bay Terminal Radar Approach Controller (TRACON) of his situation. The controller gave the pilot vector headings toward Oakland International Airport. The airplane flew over Hayward Airport, Hayward, California, while being vectored to Oakland International Airport. The engine quit while on final approach to runway 27 at Oakland International Airport. The pilot switched fuel tanks and applied carburetor heat to restart the engine, but without success. The pilot elected to land in an open area at John Muir Middle School, about 3 miles east of Oakland International Airport. The pilot said he did not land at the Hayward Airport because he thought the airplane altitude was sufficient to land at Oakland International Airport if the engine failed. The pilot indicated in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that the airplane contained 17 gallons of fuel before departing on the accident flight. Two inspectors from the FAA, Oakland Flight Standards District Office, responded to the accident site. An airworthiness inspector reported that the airplane and engine fuel systems were not compromised during the ground impact. He said that the left wing fuel tank contained only residual fuel and the right wing fuel tank was empty. He also said that he was unable to drain any fuel from the gascolator. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N62TW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62TW-1995-10-20), registration cancelled 1995-10-20, S/N 025 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ED BERGREEN KIS - Registry model: [Bergreen ED KIS](https://openairdocs.org/model/bergreen-ed-kis) (registry code 05623HS) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 025 - Airframe hours: 37 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 118 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Edwin C. Bergreen - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: AAIP, March 1, 1995, 12 hours before - Departed: SJC, SAN JOSE, CA - Destination: STS, SANTA ROSA, CA - Airport: OAK, Oakland International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 483 total, 37 in this make and model, 445 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 10 knots - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: OAK, 3 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950620049169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950620049169A), Jun 20, 1995: Sanleandro, CA, Substantial damage. (-16) The pilot was not able to produce his pilot certificate, aircraft registration or airworthiness certificate when asked for them by the iic on scene. The… 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. --- 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.