Sunset Skyranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elk Grove, California 95624
Saturday, November 8, 1986 18:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE PLT WAS RETURNING FROM A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS, THEN RESTARTED. THE PLT CHECKED THE FUEL GAUGES WHICH INDICATED ONE TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE OTHER WAS 1/4 FULL. AT ABOUT 1-1/2 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH ABOUT 300 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. AN EXAM OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. REPORTEDLY, THE PLT DID NOT ALLOW FOR UNUSABLE FUEL DURING HIS FUEL CALCULATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City ELK GROVE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95624
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SUNSET SKYRANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q40
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 54
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1748 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID SAC
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 200
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) 1549
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 10 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31963
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5360Q
NTSB Number LAX87LA036
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 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15073260
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 3400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID H. MARCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3771 PFE RD
Aircraft Owner City ROSEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95676
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code Q40
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 32
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --