Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Apple Valley, California 92307
Tuesady, February 25, 1992 9:06 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. DURING THE ENSUING EMERGENCY LANDING TO THE LEVEL, SAGE BRUSH COVERED, OPEN DESERT TERRAIN, THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE RECOMMENDED GLIDE AIRSPEED AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE. THE INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT ON THE EVENING PRIOR TO DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT FILLED THE FUEL TANKS WITH 19 GALLONS OF FUEL WHICH BROUGHT BOTH TANKS TO ABOUT 3/4 FULL. THE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED ABOUT 29.25 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE PILOT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANK LEVEL PRIOR TO DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE ENGINE, AIRFRAME AND ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM EXAMINATION DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES AND THE CAUSE OF THE FUEL EXHAUSTION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE AIRPLANE'S OWNERS MANUAL INDICATES THAT THE FUEL ENDURANCE RANGE WITH 29.25 GALLONS OF FUEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 4 HOURS AND 52 MINUTES AT 75% POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS ENGINE FUEL EXHAUSTION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 906
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City APPLE VALLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92307
Event Date Year 1992
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 426
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46605
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4193Y
NTSB Number LAX92LA127
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7ECA
Aircraft Serial Number 1192-77
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHESTER WAITE
Aircraft Owner Street Address LOMPOC AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City LOMPOC
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93436
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHESTER WAITE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address LOMPOC AIRPORT
Operator City LOMPOC
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93436
Operator Code DDDA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 LPC
Departure City LOMPOC
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 650
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code P06
Destination City BULLHEAD CITY
Destination State AZ
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 --