San Luis Obispo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Luis Obispo, California 93408
Friday, March 27, 1987 14:15 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE PILOT WAS FLYING A DOWNWIND DEPARTURE WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN A HALF MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT FOUND THAT THE MAIN FUEL LINE TO THE CARBURETOR CONTAINED NO FUEL. THE LEFT TIP TANK WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN A QUARTER OF A TANK OF FUEL, THE LEFT MAIN WAS THREE QUARTERS FULL, THE RIGHT MAIN WAS FULL AND THE RIGHT TIP WAS EMPTY. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING ON THE LEFT MAIN. THERE WAS NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES NOTED AT THAT TIME. THE ENGINE WAS THEN RUN FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AT DIFFERENT POWER SETTINGS, THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS NOTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/27/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN LUIS OBISPO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93408
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SAN LUIS OBISPO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SBP
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 209
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1410 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SBP
Elevation of weather observation facility 209
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
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) 30
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 254
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33203
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9306W
NTSB Number LAX87LA163
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235
Aircraft Serial Number 28-10985
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 5 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1560
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCHNEIDER, WARREN G.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11548 HI-RIDGE RD.
Aircraft Owner City LAKESIDE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92040
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 SBP
Departure City SAN LUIS OBISPO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1350
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SEE
Destination City SAN DIEGO
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 29
Runway Length 4799
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --