Piper PA28-151 N41309

Summary

On 18 November 1985 at about 02:21 local time, a Piper PA28-151 registered N41309, operated by Timothy W. Tufnell, was involved in an accident near San Jose, California, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

18 November 1985 at 02:21

Classification

Accident

Location

San Jose, California, United States

Nearest airport

Reid-Hillview (RHV)

Coordinates

37.3290, -121.8296

Aircraft

Piper PA28-151

Registration

N41309

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Timothy W. Tufnell

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Ana → San Jose

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

LAX86LA040

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE ON FINAL APCH FOR SAN JOSE MUNI AIRPORT AT THE END OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLT, THE ACFT EXPERIENCED TOTAL FUEL EXHAUSTION. PLT DIVERTED A/C TO RIED HILLVIEW AIRPORT & ESTABLISHED POWER-OFF GLIDE. ON FINAL FOR RWY 31R, PLT SAID HE REALIZED THE A/C WOULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY & 'STALLED THE A/C' INTO GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS TO REDUCE THE FWD SPEED AT IMPACT. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND NO FUEL IN THE A/C & NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE. A/C WAS AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT 3 HRS 45 MINS. THE PLT PLANNED A FUEL CONSUMPTION OF 7.9 GPH. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AT DEPARTURE AIRPORT, A/C WAS FUELED TO THE TABS, WHICH GAVE A TOTAL USABLE FUEL LOAD OF 32 GALS. AT 7.9 GPH, 3 HRS 45 MINS OF ELAPSED TIME USES 29.6 GALS OF FUEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.