- Date
- May 28, 2010, 17:15 local (May 29, 2010, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Palo Alto, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2865MPiper PA-28-181
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100528005429A
- Case key
- 76146
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
A total loss of engine power on final approach due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel management.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that prior to departing on a cross-country flight the "airplane was topped [off with fuel] prior to the flight." Before the return trip the pilot visually checked the fuel level in the tanks and estimated that the right tank had 10 gallons and the left had 12 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported that while on final approach to the destination airport the "engine began to sputter" and lost power. He attempted to perform an engine restart, including switching the fuel selector to another tank, but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain short of the runway resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and firewall. In a verbal statement the pilot said that he "suspected a fuel management issue." An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found that the right fuel tank was empty and the left tank had approximately 3.5 gallons of fuel. According to the FAA inspector the fuel tanks were still intact and there was no evidence of a fuel leak.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that prior to departing on a cross-country flight the "airplane was topped [off with fuel] prior to the flight." Before the return trip the pilot visually checked the fuel level in the tanks and estimated that the right tank had 10 gallons and the left had 12 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported that while on final approach to the destination airport the "engine began to sputter" and lost power. He attempted to perform an engine restart, including switching the fuel selector to another tank, but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain short of the runway resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and firewall. In a verbal statement the pilot said that he "suspected a fuel management issue." An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found that the right fuel tank was empty and the left tank had approximately 3.5 gallons of fuel. According to the FAA inspector the fuel tanks were still intact and there was no evidence of a fuel leak.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2865M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7890274
- Airframe hours
- 8,020
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Williams Evan H
- Registered owner
- Williams Evan H
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 15, 2010
- Departed
- KRDD · Redding, CA
- Destination
- KPAO · Palo Alto, CA
- Airport
- KPAO · Palo Alto Airport, runway 31, 2,443 × 70 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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 26, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 105 total · 10 in this make and model · 28 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- KPAO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 321 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.