Yuma Mcas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yuma, Arizona 85364
Monday, October 17, 1983 8:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTING LAKE HAVASU CITY HE VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FUEL TANKS & OBSERVED THAT BOTH TANKS WERE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 1/2 FULL. BASED ON THIS OBSERVATION HE THOUGHT THE ACFT HAD 20-30 GALS OF FUEL WHICH WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE FLT. UPON REACHING BLYTHE, CA HE REALIZED HE WAS LOW ON FUEL BUT BELIEVED HE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO REACH YUMA. THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION 2 MI FROM DESTINATION. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON AN INTERSTATE HWY. INITIAL TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE IN A STEEP LEFT BANK BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC & THE PRESENCE OF A BRIDGE OVER-CROSSING. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SMALL RELECTOR POLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/17/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City YUMA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85364
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport YUMA MCAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID YUM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 213
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 755 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID YUM
Elevation of weather observation facility 213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 2417
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22739
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9560J
NTSB Number LAX84LA016
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-3691
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 26 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 249
Airframe Hours 3691
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARMONDO A. CONTLA & TODD VAN B
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1062
Aircraft Owner City LAKE HAUASU CIT
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86403
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LHU
Departure City LAKE HAVASU CTY
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 17
Runway Length 5710
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --