Paso Robles Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paso Robles, California 93446
Tuesady, June 20, 1989 13:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY MOVED THE BOOST PUMP SWITCHES TO THE HIGH POSITION AND SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES TO THE AUXILIARY TANKS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. REALIZING THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE RUNWAY, HE MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO MISS SOME STRUCTURES, BUT IT COLLIDED WITH TREES. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS WERE INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE AND THAT THE MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY; HOWEVER, BOTH AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS WERE FULL. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT THE AUXILIARY FUEL SUPPLY WAS TO BE USED IN CRUISE FLIGHT ONLY AND THAT FAILURE OF AN ENGINE OR ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WOULD RESULT IN FUEL NOT BEING AVAILABLE FROM THE RESPECTIVE AUXILIARY TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER USE (MISMANAGEMENT) OF THE FUEL SYSTEM BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE LACK OF FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS (NOT INSTALLED) IN THE AIRCRAFT, FLIGHT BY THE PILOT WITH THIS KNOWN DEFICIENCY, AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PASO ROBLES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93446
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PASO ROBLES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PRB
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 836
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1461
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1422
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39807
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N69549
NTSB Number LAX89LA224
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 340
Aircraft Series Identifier 340
Aircraft Serial Number 340-0367
Certified Max Gross Weight 5975
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 16 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2148
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GLEN A. THOMSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6875 UNION ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PASO ROBLES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93446
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 LGB
Departure City LONG BEACH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PRB
Destination City
Destination State
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 31
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --