Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Modesto, California 95354
Friday, December 8, 1995 2:00 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed Modesto with 90 gallons of fuel. He first flew to Fresno to pickup some passengers, and then to Phoenix. In Phoenix, he requested the right tank be filled and that half that amount be added to the left tank. The fuel receipt showed that a total of 45 gallons were added. The pilot said he did not visually check the fuel levels. While passing Bakersfield, he noticed his fuel gauges indicated a higher than expected rate of fuel consumption and reduced the power setting. Nearing his destination, the pilot began switching tanks until both ran dry. The engine quit about 4 to 5 miles from the runway, resulting in a forced landing in an almond orchard. The pilot said that by his calculations, he had sufficient fuel onboard to complete the flight. The engine tachometer showed 6.9 total hours for the entire flight. Performance charts revealed a similar flight would require at least 130 gallons of usable fuel without reserves. Fuel records showed a total of 132 gallons of usable fuel had been available. An AD to prevent loss of engine power caused by inadvertent fuel loss or inadequate fuel servicing was accomplished on 1/19/95. In accordance with the AD, the operator had recalibrated the fuel gauges, placed placards on the fuel filler ports, and revised the pilot operating procedures in the POH.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, due to an inadequate supply of fuel, followed by a forced landing in an area of trees. Darkness was a related factor.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/8/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 200 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | MODESTO |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95354 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 148 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 305 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SCK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 30 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 24 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Partial Obscuration |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1997 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 8 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 320 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N214BD |
| NTSB Number | LAX96LA068 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | T210N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | T210N |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 21064723 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4000 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 12 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 78 |
| Airframe Hours | 4102 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MODESTO EXECUTIVE AIR CHARTER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 825 AIRPORT WAY |
| Aircraft Owner City | MODESTO |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95354 |
| 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 | CUXA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PHX |
| Departure City | PHOENIX |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2330 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MOD |
| Destination City | |
| 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 | -- |