Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hollister, California 95023
Sunday, May 23, 1993 15:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

In a verbal statement to FAA inspectors, the pilot reported that while in cruise flight the engine began to run rough then it quit altogether. The pilot attempted to make a forced landing in a farm field and collided with a ditch at the field boundary during the landing roll. An FAA Airworthiness Inspector examined the aircraft. He reported that fuel system continuity was established throughout the aircraft. During the examination, the FAA inspector found only one pint of fuel in the entire fuel system.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the aircraft and his failure to refuel the aircraft prior to departure.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HOLLISTER
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95023
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 15
Weather Observation Facility ID SNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 84
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1553
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1840
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
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 N3051J
NTSB Number LAX93LA221
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 150E
Aircraft Series Identifier 150E
Aircraft Serial Number 15061115
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM S. PETERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18196 SW SANDRA LANE
Aircraft Owner City ALOHA
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97006
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD C. KIRKHAM
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1640 TAMPA WAY
Operator City SAN JOSE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95122
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 1300
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 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 --