- Date
- July 10, 1995, 19:22 local (Jul 11, 1995, 02:22 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N243CVPiper PA-46-350P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 27, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950710017529A
- Case key
- 29146
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 resulting from the failure of the pilot to properly configure the fuel selector to a tank containing fuel during the landing approach.
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 pilot said he failed to switch the fuel selector to the fullest tank during the before landing check. The engine lost power while on final approach and landed short of the runway off the airport.
Factual narrative
On July 10, 1995, at 1922 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N243CV, lost power and collided with a tree short of runway 34L at Van Nuys Airport, Van Nuys, California. The airplane was destroyed. The certificated private pilot/owner received minor injuries. The flight originated at Camarillo Airport, Camarillo, California, about 1800 hours. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The pilot said he departed Camarillo airport with both fuel quantity indicators displaying about 30 gallons of fuel in each wing. The pilot had planned to fly direct to the Van Nuys airport and the quantity in one tank was sufficient to complete the flight. Shortly after the takeoff, the pilot changed his mind and elected to fly to Oxnard, California, and accomplish a few practice instrument approaches in preparation for an upcoming airplane instrument rating flight check. After the instrument approach, the pilot flew direct to the Van Nuys airport.
The pilot heard the engine skip while turning final after accomplishing the before landing check. The pilot immediately switched the fuel selector valve from the left tank to the right tank. Engine power was not restored.
The airplane was examined at the accident site by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The right wing separated as a result of the collision with the tree. About 2 inches of fuel was observed in the separated right wing tank as it laid flat. There was no fuel found in the left wing tank.
The pilot indicated in his accident report he failed to switch the fuel selector to the fullest tank during the before landing check.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N243CV
- Reported as
- Piper PA-46-350P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46-22167
- Airframe hours
- 200
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gerald Alvin Niznick
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 19, 1995
- Departed
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
- Destination
- VNY
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys, runway 34L, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 215 total · 189 in this make and model · 140 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VNY, 1 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.