Reno Tahoe International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reno, Nevada 89502
Monday, May 31, 1999 10:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on a second practice ILS approach, the pilot announced to the Reno ATCT local controller that he was out of fuel. The airplane crashed in a field 1 mile short of the runway. The pilot said that prior to the accident, they had practiced holding patterns, a VOR approach, and one ILS approach. After the engine suddenly quit, the pilot looked at the right fuel gage, which read empty, and switched the selector to the left tank. The pilot was unable to effect an engine restart prior to colliding with the ground. An FAA airworthiness inspector responded to the accident site. He determined that the responding airport fire department units had turned the fuel selector from the left tank to the off position. Examination of the fuel system disclosed that it was intact. Two ounces of fuel were drained from the right wing tank and 13 ounces from the right reservoir tank. The left fuel tank contained about 25 gallons of fuel and the left reservoir tank had 65 ounces.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fuel starvation resulting from the pilot's inattentive monitoring and management of the fuel system.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1999
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RENO
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89502
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport RENO TAHOE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RNO
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 324
Airport Elevation 4412
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1056 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 162
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4412
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1677
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 31 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1056
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N37MJ
NTSB Number LAX99LA203
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model P210N
Aircraft Series Identifier P210N
Aircraft Serial Number P21000552
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 Jul 20 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2323
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES M. BLASCO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 866 STATE ROUTE 208
Aircraft Owner City YERINGTON
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89447
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KRNO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone PST
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16R
Runway Length 11000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --