Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yountville, California 94599
Saturday, June 2, 1990 14:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF A HOMEBUILT FELT A 'SHUTTER' IN THE ENGINE AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A VINEYARD. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD BEEN AIRBORNE ABOUT 40 MINUTES. THE PILOT SAID THE SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND TO BE OK AND THE CARBURETOR BOWL WAS EMPTY OF FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THERE WERE ABOUT SEVEN GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF FUEL SUPPLY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City YOUNTVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94599
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
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 0
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 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) 24
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 Not Gusting
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1789
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1510
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43519
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9939
NTSB Number LAX90DVG09
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 CULLEN/ROTH
Aircraft Model FALCON XP
Aircraft Series Identifier FALCON XP
Aircraft Serial Number 600203
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 6 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 249
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CULLEN, WILLIAM E
Aircraft Owner Street Address 239 CLEVELAND AVE.
Aircraft Owner City MILL VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94941
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CULLEN, WILLIAM E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 239 CLEVELAND AVE.
Operator City MILL VALLEY
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94941
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 102
Departure City LAMPSON AIRPORT
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 056
Destination City NOVATO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --