Imperial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Imperial, California 92251
Sunday, May 7, 1989 20:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER MAKING TWO STOPS FOR FUEL AND FUEL BEING UNAVAILABLE AT BOTH AIRPORTS, THE PILOT DEPARTED FOR A THIRD AIRPORT 12 MILES NORTH. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO IMPERIAL AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS EXHAUSTED OF FUEL. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS ALONG WITH THE DECISION TO DEPART WITH INADEQUATE FUEL TO INSURE LANDING AT HIS PROPOSED DESTINATION WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN ON WHICH THE LANDING WAS MADE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SEVERITY OF THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City IMPERIAL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92251
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport IMPERIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ipl
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation -56
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 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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 Minor
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 349
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1420
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38728
Date of most recent change to record Apr 19 2002 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30678
NTSB Number LAX89LA185
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 210T
Aircraft Series Identifier 210T
Aircraft Serial Number 21059955
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 4 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANIEL S. COSGROVE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8745 BLUFF
Aircraft Owner City BANNING
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92220
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CXL
Departure City CALEXICO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IPL
Destination City IMPERIAL
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 5304
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --