Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 94105
Sunday, March 19, 1989 21:58 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 1830 PST, THE PLT TOOK OFF FROM VAN NUYS, CA, ON A FLT TO OAKLAND, CA, WITH A PLANNED PASSENGER STOP AT HAYWARD, CA. HE STATED THAT AT ABOUT 2150 PST, BEFORE REACHING HAYWARD, THE ENG LOST POWER. HE TURNED TOWARD THE NEAREST ARPT, WHICH WAS AT SAN JOSE, CA, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH IT. DRG AN EMERG LANDING AT NIGHT, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & A BLDG, THEN CAME TO REST IN A PARKING LOT. DRG A POST-ACDNT EXAM OF THE ACFT, ONLY ABOUT 1-1/4 GAL OF FUEL WAS FOUND REMAINING.ACCORDING TO THE CESSNA OPERATING MANUAL, 1-1/2 GAL OF FUEL WAS CONSIDERED TO BE UNUSABLE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE ACFT AFTER THE ACDNT & NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS REPORTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: DARK NIGHT,TREES, AND THE BUILDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2158
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN JOSE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94105
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
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 Night/Dark
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 498
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 19 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2210
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38998
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49925
NTSB Number LAX89LA128
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15211398
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 27 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 1792
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORRIS EVERETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SIERRA ACADEMY OF AERONAUTICS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VNY
Departure City VAN NUYS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OAK
Destination City OAKLAND
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --