Sacramento Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sacramento, California 94203
Monday, August 16, 1999 20:24 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was airborne for just over 4 hours and nearing the destination airport when the engine sputtered. The pilot switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank, and the engine restarted. The CFI then declared a low fuel state to the TRACON controller. About 8 miles from the airport, the engine sputtered and then quit. The CFI took the controls, attempted an unsuccessful engine restart, and force landed in a field. A sheriff's deputy who responded to the accident site visually checked the fuel tanks and noted that they were both empty. He further indicated no fuel was observed leaking from the airplane, or observed on the ground. The airplane was inspected on-scene. The fuel tanks and all system lines were intact. No fuel was found in lines from the gascolator to the carburetor. The flight instructor said in his written statement that the fuel burn was according to his preflight calculations.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to ensure that sufficient fuel was on board to complete the flight, and, the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/1999
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2024
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SACRAMENTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94203
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SACRAMENTO INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAC
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 360
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID SMF
Elevation of weather observation facility 28
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1713
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2107
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2001 1:58PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3004U
NTSB Number LAX99LA268
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7990331
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
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 CANDACE A. LARNED ENT, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4310 DONALD DOUGLAS DR. STE A
Aircraft Owner City LONG BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90808
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 No
Departure Airport Code PDX
Departure City PORTLAND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SMF
Destination City
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 14 2001 10:24AM
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 --