Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bradley, California 93460
Tuesady, August 15, 1995 24:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DIVERTING DUE TO WEATHER TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT WHEN HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY NIGHT FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT REFUEL BECAUSE HE CALCULATED THAT HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT. UPON REACHING HIS FINAL DESTINATION HE FOUND THE AIRPORT WAS FOGGED IN. HE SPENT ABOUT 1/2 HOUR IN THE GENERAL AREA ANALYZING THE SITUATION AND CHECKING ANOTHER PRIVATE AIRSTRIP BEFORE DIVERTING TO ANOTHER AIRPORT KNOWN TO BE VFR. HOWEVER, BEFORE REACHING THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT, PLOWED FIELD, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel prior to takeoff and his delayed decision to proceed to his alternate airport. The night light conditions and the lack of a suitable emergency landing area were factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BRADLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93460
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
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 1935 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 115
Weather Observation Facility ID PRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 836
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1125
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 355
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5563R
NTSB Number LAX95LA295
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 172F
Aircraft Series Identifier 172F
Aircraft Serial Number 17253154
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Jul 17 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 4263
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BURTON L. SILVA
Aircraft Owner Street Address LAGOMARSINO AVE. PO BOX 58
Aircraft Owner City KING CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93930
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SILVA, BURTON L.
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code PTV
Departure City PORTERVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KIC
Destination City KING CITY
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --