Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moccasin, California 95347
Saturday, July 3, 1993 17:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM ANY PREFLIGHT OR EN ROUTE FUEL CALCULATIONS FOR THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT LANDED AT AN AIRPORT TO PICKUP A PASSENGER. WHILE RETURNING TO THE INITIAL DEPARTURE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A RAVINE. A POST ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE FUEL TANKS FOUND ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL REMAINING. AN FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTOR CALCULATED AN ENDURANCE OF 4.5 HOURS POSSIBLE. THE TOTAL ELAPSED TACHOMETER TIME WAS 5.0 HOURS. THE PILOT SAID HE RAN OUT OF FUEL IN A POST CRASH INTERVIEW.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OR INFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MOCCASIN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95347
Event Date Year 1993
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1715 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID MOD
Elevation of weather observation facility 97
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 439
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50256
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7875T
NTSB Number LAX93LA273
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 172A
Aircraft Series Identifier 172A
Aircraft Serial Number 47475
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3686
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEPHEN R. FAIRCHILD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10753 AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBIA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95310
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEPHEN R. FAIRCHILD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 10753 AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City COLUMBIA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95310
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 022
Departure City COLUMBIA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
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 --