Cessna 340 N69549
20 June 1989 · Paso Robles, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 20 June 1989 at about 20:15 local time, a Cessna 340 registered N69549 was involved in an accident near Paso Robles, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Paso Robles, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Paso Robles (PRB)
- Coordinates
- 35.6090, -120.7606
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340
- Registration
- N69549
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Long Beach → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX89LA224
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
IMPROPER USE (MISMANAGEMENT) OF THE FUEL SYSTEM BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE LACK OF FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS (NOT INSTALLED) IN THE AIRCRAFT, FLIGHT BY THE PILOT WITH THIS KNOWN DEFICIENCY, AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY MOVED THE BOOST PUMP SWITCHES TO THE HIGH POSITION AND SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES TO THE AUXILIARY TANKS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. REALIZING THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE RUNWAY, HE MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO MISS SOME STRUCTURES, BUT IT COLLIDED WITH TREES. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS WERE INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE AND THAT THE MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY; HOWEVER, BOTH AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS WERE FULL. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT THE AUXILIARY FUEL SUPPLY WAS TO BE USED IN CRUISE FLIGHT ONLY AND THAT FAILURE OF AN ENGINE OR ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WOULD RESULT IN FUEL NOT BEING AVAILABLE FROM THE RESPECTIVE AUXILIARY TANK.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 340 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Feb 1989 | Cessna 340A | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 1989 | Cessna 340A | West Palm Beach, Florida, United States | Clay E Buzzard | No injuries | - |
| 15 Feb 1989 | Cessna 340A | Safford, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Dec 1989 | Cessna 340 | Merrill, Wisconsin, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 1990 | Cessna 340A | Prospect, Pennsylvania, United States | Brennan Aviation Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jun 1990 | Cessna 340A | Priest River, Idaho, United States | Felts Field Aviation | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 1989 | Piper PA-31-350 | Ontario, California, United States | Ameriflight | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Sep 1989 | Piper PA-25-235 | Warner Springs, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Sep 1989 | Cessna 310K | Ojai, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 30 Sep 1989 | Cessna 182 | Eureka, California, United States | Nothern Air | No injuries | - |
| 30 Sep 1989 | Cessna 152 | Lancaster, California, United States | West Coast Air Center | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Sep 1989 | Bellanca 17-30A | Palo Alto, California, United States | Klouda, Linda K. | Minor injuries | - |