# NTSB WPR19LA003: Piper PA28, N2250S, Grass Valley, CA, October 8, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 8, 2018, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Grass Valley, CA - Coordinates: 39.23722, -121.111114 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2372&lon=-121.1111&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Fedeal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 98421 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR19LA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98421/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA003 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 361 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 58 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The accident flight was the student pilot’s first solo cross-country flight; the intended route of flight included stops at five airports along the route. Prior to departure, the pilot confirmed the left fuel tank was full, and the right fuel tank contained about 17 gallons. The airplane was not refueled during the cross-country flight. The pilot stated she flew with the left fuel tank selected until the final leg of the trip. She report that, after departure from the last airport, she switched to the right fuel tank. When the airplane was about 5 miles from Grass Valley Airport (GOO), at an altitude of about 5,000 ft above ground level (agl), the engine started to sputter. The pilot attempted, unsuccessfully, to restart the engine and she contacted the air traffic control tower at GOO to report an engine failure. She was cleared to land; however, the airplane was at an altitude of 3,200 feet agl and continuing to lose altitude. When she realized the airplane would not make it to the airport, she performed a forced landing to an open field. During the landing, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the right wing was damaged. After the accident, 17 gallons of fuel were removed from the right-wing fuel tank and the left-wing fuel tank was empty. Because the amount of fuel in the right fuel tank after the accident was the same as before takeoff and the pilot stated she flew most of the flight with the left fuel tank selected, it is likely that, despite her report of switching to the right fuel tank, the left tank remained selected, and its fuel supply was exhausted. Other than the absence of fuel, no anomalies were noted with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On October 8, 2018, at 1100 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N2250S, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Grass Valley, California. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as an instructional flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the pilot, she had completed three previous solo flights and this flight was her first cross-country flight. She planned the intended route from Auburn Municipal Airport (AUN) with intermediate landings at Lincoln Regional Airport (LHM), Colusa County Airport (O08), Willows/Glenn County Airport (WLW), Haigh Field Airport (037), Red Bluff Municipal Airport (RBL), and back to AUN. The pilot reported that before she departed AUN she confirmed the left fuel tank was full, and the right fuel tank was "to the tabs" (approximately 17 gallons). The airplane was not refueled during the cross-country flight. The pilot stated she flew with the left fuel tank selected for most of the flight; once she departed RBL, she switched to the right fuel tank (near Orville, California). When the airplane was about 5 miles from the Grass Valley Airport (GOO), at an altitude of about 5,000 ft above ground level (agl), the engine started to sputter. The pilot attempted, unsuccessfully, to restart the engine and she contacted the air traffic control tower at GOO to report an engine failure. She was cleared to land at GOO; however, the airplane was at an altitude of 3,200 feet agl and continuing to lose altitude. When she realized the airplane would not make it to the airport, she performed a forced landing to an open field. During the landing, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the right wing was damaged. Interviews with recovery personnel revealed that 17 gallons of fuel were removed from the right wing fuel tank and the left-wing fuel tank was empty. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2250S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2250S-2021-05-08), registration cancelled 2021-05-08, S/N 28-7916292, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA28 (161) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7916292 - Year built: 1979 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 SERIES reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Mach 5 Aviation - Registered owner: Fox Two LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Departed: RBL, Red Bluff, CA - Destination: GOO, Grass Valley, CA - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: GOO, Nevada County ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 21; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 21, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 43 total, 43 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 26.70 inHg - Observed at: GOO, 6 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 20181008016779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181008016779A), Oct 8, 2018: Piper PA-28-161, Grass Valley, CA, Substantial damage. On October 10 2018 at approximately 1100 hours, while conducting a VFR cross country solo training flight N2250, a PA-28 aircraft, experienced a rough running… 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.