Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sandy Valley, Nevada 89019
Sunday, February 7, 1993 15:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE OPERATOR CHECKED THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL LEVEL BEFORE THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT, IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, SAID HE WAS 'CHECKED OUT' IN THE AIRCRAFT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BY THE FORMER OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT TOOK OFF TO FLY THREE MILES TO HIS RANCH. THE ENGINE QUIT AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACH THE RANCH. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING AND LANDED 50 FEET SHORT OF A ROAD. THE OWNER INSPECTED THE LEFT TANK AND SAID THE TANK WAS 'BONE DRY.' THE PILOT SAID HE HAD NOT CHANGED OR SWITCHED TANKS. HE SAID THE GAUGE SHOWED 1/2 FULL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, AND TO ASSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THIS SUBSEQUENTLY LED TO AN INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY IN THE LEFT TANK, AND FUEL STARVATION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANDY VALLEY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89019
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 218
Weather Observation Facility ID LAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2458
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 203
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50546
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4255B
NTSB Number LAX93LA191
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model F35
Aircraft Series Identifier F35
Aircraft Serial Number D4259
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 9 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 5687
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EUGENE C. FALK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8631 E. CACTUS ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85254
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JERRY F. CURTIS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1159
Operator City JANE
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89019
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PST
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 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 --