Reno Tahoe International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sparks, Nevada 89431
Tuesady, November 1, 1994 13:06 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING THE FIRST LEG OF AN IFR FLIGHT IN A MULTI-ENGINE AIRPLANE. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APPROACH, ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND CANCELED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN. MOMENTS LATER, THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THEN LOST POWER. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES TO VARIOUS POSITIONS AND POSITIONED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP TO HIGH-FLOW; HOWEVER, DURING THIS TIME, THE LEFT ENGINE ALSO LOST POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START BOTH ENGINES, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A POLE, THEN CRASHED INTO A CONDOMINIUM. A FIRE ERUPTED, BUT ALL 4 OCCUPANTS SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT. TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE CONDOMINIUM RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT HE HAD MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES TO THE AUXILIARY POSITION FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR DURING FLIGHT; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGERS DID NOT SEE HIM MOVE THE FUEL SELECTORS UNTIL AFTER THE ENGINE(S) LOST POWER. THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE RIGHT MAIN TANK AND OFF POSITIONS. THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR WAS DESTROYED BY POST-IMPACT FIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/1/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1306
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SPARKS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89431
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RENO TAHOE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RNO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 335
Airport Elevation 4412
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1312 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4412
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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 2
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1718
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 1 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N421WB
NTSB Number LAX95FA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421A
Aircraft Series Identifier 421A
Aircraft Serial Number 421A0099
Certified Max Gross Weight 6800
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 17 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEYS FAMILY LIMITED LIABILITY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 37746 SOUTH EAST RICKERT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CORBETT
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TTD
Departure City PORTLAND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1036
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PSP
Destination City PALM SPRINGS
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 --