Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vacaville, California 95688
Monday, July 22, 1996 11:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor (CFI) and a rated pilot (student) were on a dual instructional flight and were returning from the practice area to the airport. About 4 miles from the airport, the engine lost power. The CFI took control of the airplane. He turned the fuel pump on, and the engine started and ran for about 2 minutes, then lost power again. The CFI made a forced landing on an unoccupied street. During the landing, the airplane collided with a street sign and a curbing. An FAA inspector reported the airplane was out of fuel. The inspector further stated that the student had questioned the instructor about the fuel quantity before the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

improper planning/decision by the instructor pilot, which resulted in subsequent fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power, due to an inadequate supply of fuel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/1996
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VACAVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95688
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 7
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 1055 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID KSU
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 548
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 22 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1220
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:12AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N236BR
NTSB Number LAX96LA285
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 Diamond Aircraft Industries
Aircraft Model KATANA DA-20-A1
Aircraft Series Identifier KATANA DA-
Aircraft Serial Number 10036
Certified Max Gross Weight 1609
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours 655
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DIAMOND FINANCIAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1209 ORANGE ST.
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BLUE RIDGE AERONAUTICS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 300 COUNTY AIRPORT RD.
Operator City VACAVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95688
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 045
Departure City
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --