Watsonville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watsonville, California 95076
Saturday, December 21, 1991 17:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER SERVICING THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS WITH A REDUCED FUEL LOAD THE PILOT TOOK OFF FOR FIVE FLIGHTS. AS THE AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS FOURTH LANDING THE ENGINE FAILED AFTER FOUR HOURS OF FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SOME TRANSMISSION LINES AND LANDED OFF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT FAILED TO ADEQUATELY PERFORM THE FUEL CALCULATIONS AND SERVICE THE AIRPLANE BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE FUEL CALCULATION AND FAILURE TO SERVICE THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS WITH ADEQUATE QUANTITIES OF FUEL TO COMPETE THE FIGHTS. THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER RESULTING FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City WATSONVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95076
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WVI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 10
Airport Elevation 150
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Dusk
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1971
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46021
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1999R
NTSB Number LAX92LA068
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 210K
Aircraft Series Identifier 210K
Aircraft Serial Number 21059270
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 20 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3370
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BAKER, JOSEPH & EDNA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2955 PIE WAY
Aircraft Owner City PLACERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95667
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MERCER AVIATION, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3499 AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City PLACERVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95667
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 RNO
Departure City RENO
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1611
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 4501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --