Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-24-260 N8888P

15 September 1991 · Tehachapi, California, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 15 September 1991 at about 22:50 local time, a Piper PA-24-260 registered N8888P, operated by James W. Hager, was involved in an accident near Tehachapi, 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 22:50
Classification
Accident
Location
Tehachapi, California, United States
Coordinates
35.1204, -118.5093
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-260
Registration
N8888P
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
James W. Hager
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Oakland → Redlands
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX91LA395

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT KNOWING HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS TO REACH HIS DESTINATION. BUT HE WANTED TO RUN THEM DRY TO CHECK THE CALIBRATION ENROUTE FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. BECAUSE OF HIS ALTITUDE, HE OVERFLEW HIS FIRST CHOICE FOR REFUELING, DURING WHICH TIME HIS FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION WAS ERRATIC. AS HE STARTED HIS LETDOWN FOR HIS SECOND CHOICE FOR LANDING HIS ENGINE QUIT. HE ATTEMPTED A LANDING IN A COW PASTURE AND COLLIDED WITH SMALL BERMS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
30 Oct 1991 Piper PA-24-250
N6815P
Ellicott, Colorado, United States Southwest Aircraft Recovery Minor injuries -
3 Feb 1991 Piper PA-24-260
N9209P
Cordele, Georgia, United States Carter, Richard C. Fatal 3
30 Mar 1991 Piper PA-24-250
N7457P
Franklin, Tennessee, United States Hannasch, Thomas P. Fatal 1
12 Nov 1991 Piper PA-24-260
N9161P
Charles City, Iowa, United States Culbert Aeronautics No injuries -
1 Dec 1991 Piper PA-24-180
N5174P
Sandston, Virginia, United States Michael Kroll Serious injuries -
20 Sep 1991 Piper PA-24-250
N6414P
French Gulch, California, United States Raab, Mark L. No injuries -

All 2,700 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
20 Jul 1991 Cessna C-172P
N54694
Hesperia, California, United States South Bay Aviation No injuries -
24 Jul 1991 Cessna 172N
N5352D
Napa, California, United States Bridgeford Flying SVC. No injuries -
24 Jul 1991 Beechcraft 76
N6045M
Sacramento, California, United States Altair Aviation Corp. No injuries -
27 Jul 1991 Ayres S2R
N3087D
Visalia, California, United States Gilbert Aviation Industries Serious injuries -
1 Aug 1991 Cessna 421C
N98455
Auburn, California, United States Edward Mueller No injuries -
2 Aug 1991 Champion 7GCBC
N1693G
Lake Elsinore, California, United States
no coordinates
Halbeisen, John F Fatal 2

All 170,864 records in United States