Piper PA-31-310 N504DB
3 August 1991 · Byron, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 3 August 1991 at about 02:58 local time, a Piper PA-31-310 registered N504DB, operated by Ricardo Barbera, was involved in an accident near Byron, California, United States. 4 people were 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 02:58
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Byron, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 37.8497, -121.6198
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310
- Registration
- N504DB
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Ricardo Barbera
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ramona → Napa
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Dusk
- NTSB number
- LAX91LA343
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE AND HIS MISJUDGING THE DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE ON A PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, WHICH WAS THE THIRD FLIGHT OF THE DAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS HAD BEEN FILLED PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE FLIGHTS. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 40 MILES SHORT OF THE DESTINATION, BOTH ENGINES SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. DURING THE ENSUING EMERGENCY LANDING THE AIRPLANE LANDED 400 FEET SHORT OF A SMALL AIRPORT RUNWAY, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND DITCH, AND SHEARED OFF THE LANDING GEAR. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE WAS FOUND AT THE FUEL CAPS OR FUEL DRAINS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jan 1991 | Piper PA-31-350 | Orlando, Florida, United States | Top Flight Air Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jan 1991 | Piper PA-31-B-310 | Fernandina Bch, Florida, United States | Island Aviation Services, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 29 Nov 1991 | Piper PA-31-350 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Alpine Air, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 7 Feb 1991 | Piper PA-31-350 | Munford, Alabama, United States | MacOn Horizons, Inc | Fatal | 4 |
| 15 Jan 1991 | Piper PA-31-350 | Nome, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Dec 1991 | Piper PA-31-350 | Nagua, Dominican Republic | Avionca C, POR A | Unknown | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 1991 | Cessna C-172P | Hesperia, California, United States | South Bay Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1991 | Cessna 172N | Napa, California, United States | Bridgeford Flying SVC. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft 76 | Sacramento, California, United States | Altair Aviation Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 1991 | Ayres S2R | Visalia, California, United States | Gilbert Aviation Industries | Serious injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1991 | Cessna 421C | Auburn, California, United States | Edward Mueller | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Champion 7GCBC | Lake Elsinore, California, United States | Halbeisen, John F | Fatal | 2 |