Carmel Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carmel Valley, California 93924
Saturday, July 1, 1995 9:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB FOR A 10-MILE FLIGHT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT, THE PILOT PERCEIVED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND MANEUVERED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK POWER LINES WHILE TURNING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. RESPONDING FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT WING CONTAINED NO FUEL AND THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED VERY LITTLE FUEL. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK CONTAINED LESS THAN 1 GALLON, AND THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 5 GALLONS. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANKS. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE AT THE CARMEL VALLEY AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel starvation due to the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation in that he failed to position the fuel selector to a tank known to contain fuel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CARMEL VALLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93924
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CARMEL VALLEY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O62
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 --
Airport Elevation 450
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID MRY
Elevation of weather observation facility 254
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 836
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8399T
NTSB Number LAX95LA233
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8116246
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 16 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 2145
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT DAVID LAMVIK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15465 VIA LOS TULARES
Aircraft Owner City CARMEL VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93924
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code O62
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MRY
Destination City MONTEREY
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 29
Runway Length 1820
Runway Width 35
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --