Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paradise, California 95967
Sunday, May 2, 1993 12:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ABOUT 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER. HE TURNED THE LEFT FIREWALL MOUNTED ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP ON AND SELECTED LEFT AUX TANK. THE LEFT ENGINE REGAINED POWER. HE SELECTED THE RIGHT ENGINE TO RIGHT AUX TANK. AFTER 20-30 SECONDS BOTH ENGINES QUIT. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART EITHER ENGINE AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN HEAVY BRUSH AT ABOUT 40 KNOTS. THE FAA REPORTED THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MISMANAGED THE FUEL, AND WAITED TOO LONG TO SWITCH TANKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE POOR IN FLIGHT FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS BY THE PILOT AND THE PILOT'S IN FLIGHT DECISION NOT TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS WHICH CAUSED THE TOTAL FAILURE OF BOTH OF THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINES. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE FUEL STARVATION AND THE HIGH VEGETATION IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1250
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PARADISE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95967
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
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 1245 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 118
Weather Observation Facility ID CIC
Elevation of weather observation facility 238
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 125
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 2 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1440
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51140
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12828
NTSB Number LAX93LA196
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 DORNIER
Aircraft Model DO-28
Aircraft Series Identifier DO-28
Aircraft Serial Number 3023
Certified Max Gross Weight 5400
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 8 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 3625
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRIAN ESLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 580 GREGORY CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City SONOMA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95476
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRIAN ESLER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 580 GREGORY CIRCLE
Operator City SONOMA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95476
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 SVE
Departure City SUSANVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 --