Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-24-260 N8707P

27 September 1994 · Fullerton, California, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 27 September 1994 at about 21:37 local time, a Piper PA-24-260 registered N8707P was involved in an accident near Fullerton, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 21:37
Classification
Accident
Location
Fullerton, California, United States
Nearest airport
Fullerton Muni (FUL)
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-260
Registration
N8707P
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Placerville → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX94LA382

People

2 people were seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 2 0 0

Probable cause

FUEL STARVATION DUE TO IMPROPER FUEL MANAGEMENT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND HIS INSTRUCTOR RATED PASSENGER HAD FLOWN TO PLACERVILLE, CALIFORNIA, FROM LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA. THE IFR FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE WAS ABOUT 340 NAUTICAL MILES WITH AN ESTIMATED 5 HOURS OF FUEL ON-BOARD. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED ROUND-TRIP FLYING TIME WAS ABOUT 4 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES. JUST BEFORE LANDING, WHILE TURNING BASE-LEG, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A LIGHT STANDARD AND UTILITY POLE DURING A FORCED LANDING AND WAS DESTROYED. THE USABLE FUEL CAPACITY IN FOUR TANKS WAS 86 GALLONS, IF FILLED PROPERLY. ACCORDING TO THE HANDBOOK, THE ESTIMATED FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS 12.7 TO 14.1 GALLONS PER HOUR. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD 40 TO 45 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT. NEITHER PILOT STATED WHAT TECHNIQUE THEY USED IN SWITCHING AMONG THE FOUR FUEL TANKS (GAUGES OR TIMING). ABOUT 2.5 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS FOUND REMAINING IN AN AUX TANK. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS COMPROMISED IN THE ACCIDENT AND SOME FUEL SPILLED FROM THE OTHER TANKS. A PLACARD ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNED THAT 'UNCOORDINATED MANEUVERS INCLUDING LONG SIDE SLIPS AND FAST TAXI TURNS JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, MAY CAUSE LOSS OF POWER, ESPECIALLY IF FUEL TANK IS LESS THAN HALF FULL.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
21 Feb 1994 Piper PA-24-250
N6253P
Kinston, North Carolina, United States
no coordinates
Shnur, Morris No injuries -
2 Apr 1994 Piper PA-24-180
N5704P
Boone, North Carolina, United States - No injuries -
10 Sep 1994 Piper PA-24-250
N55GV
North Anson, Maine, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
24 May 1994 Piper PA-24-250
N5512P
Foley, Alabama, United States Lowdermilk, Stephen M. Minor injuries -
3 Oct 1994 Piper PA-24-250
N8397F
Montgomery, New York, United States - Fatal 1
16 Apr 1994 Piper PA-24-260
N8572P
Spring Hill, Florida, United States - No injuries -

All 2,700 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
17 Sep 1994 Piper PA-28R-201
N30150
Fort Bragg, California, United States Sundance Flying Club Serious injuries -
12 May 1994 Schweizer G-164B
N8214S
Yuba City, California, United States
no coordinates
Sutter Butte Dusters, Inc. No injuries -
3 Sep 1994 Cessna T210L
N732DT
Kettleman City, California, United States Willie Alves Rodrigues No injuries -
13 May 1994 Maule M-5-235C
N711CX
Columbia, California, United States White, James L. No injuries -
19 May 1994 Cessna 150L
N6747G
Rio Linda, California, United States Hinckley, Thomas, F. Serious injuries -
23 Sep 1994 Robinson R-22
N4001B
Chico, California, United States Sierra Aviation No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States