Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Paula, California 93060
Friday, August 16, 1985 11:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLT THE ACFT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION AND COLLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN A RIVER BED. THE PLT SAID 4 HRS AND 20 MNS OF ENGINE RUN TIME HAD ELAPSED SINCE THE LAST FUELING OF THE ACFT. AT THE LAST FUELING, THE PLT SAID HE ORDERED THE ACFT 'TOPPED,' HOWEVER, DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE POWER LOSS, THE PLT SAID BOTH FUEL GAGES INDICATED ONE-QUARTER OF A TANK EACH. SUBSEQUENT TESTING OF THE FUEL QUANTITY MEASURING SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE LEFT SYSTEM WAS INCORRECTLY CALIBRATED AND THE GAGE INDICATED ONE NEEDLE WIDTH BELOW THE ONE-QUARTER INDICIES WHEN THE TRANSMITTER WAS IN THE EMPTY POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SANTA PAULA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93060
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1047 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID OXR
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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) 1555
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1225
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28930
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5879B
NTSB Number LAX85LA350
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 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier 182A
Aircraft Serial Number 33879
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Sep 13 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 3855
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THREE FORKS FLYING CLUB, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 521
Aircraft Owner City THREE FORKS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59752
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 PRB
Departure City PASO ROBLES
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SZP
Destination City SANTA PAULA
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --