# NTSB LAX95LA268: Piper PA-28-180, N5388L, Santa Paula, CA, July 24, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 23, 1995, 19:20 local (Jul 24, 1995, 02:20 UTC) - Place: Santa Paula, CA - Coordinates: 34.399555, -119.069732 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3996&lon=-119.0697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29163 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA268 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29163/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA268 ## Probable cause fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to perform preflight fuel consumption calculations, and his failure to refuel the aircraft. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - self-induced pressure, pilot in command - fuel consumption calculations - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS EN ROUTE BACK TO HIS ORIGIN AIRPORT ON A ROUND ROBIN CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT AS HE NEARED THE DESTINATION. HE TOLD RESPONDING POLICE OFFICERS THAT HE RAN OUT OF GAS AND HAD TO LAND IN THE RIVERBED. ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS BY THE OFFICERS. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ORIGINALLY DID THE FLIGHT PLANING FOR THIS FLIGHT IN A CESSNA 172. HE STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER FLOWN THE PIPER PA28 BEFORE THIS FLIGHT. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE OPERATOR'S FBO, HE WAS TOLD THAT THE CESSNA 172 WAS UNAVAILABLE AND HE WAS OFFERED THE PIPER INSTEAD. THE PILOT SAID HE 'SHOULD HAVE REPLANNED THE FLIGHT, BUT WAS IN A HURRY.' HE ASSUMED THAT THE PIPER AND THE CESSNA HAD SIMILAR FUEL CONSUMPTION RATES. THE PILOT SAID HE DID NOT REFUEL IN LAS VEGAS BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE HAD ENOUGH FOR THE RETURN TRIP. ## Factual narrative On July 23, 1995, at 1920 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA28- 180, N5388L, collided with rocks during a forced landing attempt in a riverbed near Santa Paula, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. The aircraft was operated by Camarillo Flight Center of Camarillo, California, and was rented by the pilot for a personal cross- country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at North Las Vegas, Nevada, on the day of the accident at 1715 as the return portion of a round robin cross-country flight from Camarillo to Las Vegas and return. The pilot told responding Santa Paula Police officers that he ran out of gas and had to land in the riverbed. Only residual fuel was found in the aircraft fuel tanks by the responding officers. In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he originally did the flight planing for this flight in a Cessna 172. He stated that he had never flown the Piper PA28 before this flight. When he arrived at the operator's FBO, he was told that the Cessna 172 was unavailable and he was offered the Piper instead. The pilot said he "should have replanned the flight, but was in a hurry." He assumed that the Piper and the Cessna had similar fuel consumption rates. The pilot said he did not refuel in Las Vegas because he thought he had enough for the return trip. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5388L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5388L-2013-02-08), registration cancelled 2013-02-08, S/N 28-4696, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-4696 - Airframe hours: 4150 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Camarillo Flight Center - Registered owner: Karl G. Schott - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 16, 1994, 61 hours before - Departed: VGT, LAS VEGAS, NV - Destination: CMA, CAMARILLO, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 250 total, 4 in this make and model, 206 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F ## 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 19950723019349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950723019349A), Jul 23, 1995: Piper PA28180, Santa Paula, CA, Substantial damage. Engine quit near destination. Landed river bed. Out of fuel. No check out misjudged fuel consumption. ## Other investigations on N5388L (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX96LA347](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA347), Jul 13, 1996: Piper PA-28-180 (N5388L), Palm Springs, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the failure of a propeller blade as a result of undetected in-service mechanical damage that caused a stress point that progressed to a point of failure. 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.