Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atherton, California 94025
Friday, October 14, 1994 22:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM SAN CARLOS HE DID A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WHICH INCLUDED A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY IN THE TANKS. BEFORE DEPARTING FRESNO FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT, THE PILOT DID NOT INSPECT THE FUEL TANKS AND DID NOT REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS DESCENDING TOWARD THE SAN CARLOS AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND DIED IN WHAT THE PILOT DESCRIBED AS 'CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF FUEL EXHAUSTION.' HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD A FLAT AREA NEXT TO SOME BUILDINGS, BUT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE AREA. THE PILOT THEN SELECTED A CITY STREET ON WHICH TO ATTEMPT A LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND TREES. A RESPONDING COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SAID THAT HE IS A PILOT AND ONE OF THE DESIGNATED SAN MATEO COUNTY AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT AND/OR INCIDENT INVESTIGATORS FOR THE DEPARTMENT. HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM WAS INTACT; HOWEVER, BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. AFTER RECOVERY FROM THE SITE, COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY WAS ESTABLISHED AND ABOUT 1 GALLON OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations and failure to refuel the aircraft while en route.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2215
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ATHERTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94025
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2245 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID SFO
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2020
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N67358
NTSB Number LAX95LA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15281776
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEE R. PHILLIPS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 853 MCGLINCHES DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City LIVERMORE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94550
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ERIC K. WAXMAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 249 MILTON, #3
Operator City SAN BRUNO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94066
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FAT
Departure City FRESNO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2030
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SQL
Destination City SAN CARLOS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --