Apple Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Apple Valley, California 92307
Friday, May 18, 2001 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane made a forced landing on a dirt road due to a loss of engine power. The landing gear was sheared off, and both wings were damanged on the landing rollout. The personal cross-country flight had departed about 2.5 hours prior to the accident. Responding personnel looked in the fuel tanks, and the surrounding area, and did not see or smell any fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's fuel mismanagement, which led to fuel exhaustion, a loss of engine power, and subsequent landing on unsuitable terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Apple Valley
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92307
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 342555N
Event Location Longitude 1165516W
Event Location Airport APPLE VALLEY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID APV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 33
Degrees magnetic from airport 115
Airport Elevation 3059
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1354 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID KDAG
Elevation of weather observation facility 1927
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.76
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11337
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 18 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:12AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP FSDO RIVERSIDE

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1606B
NTSB Number LAX01LA184
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Luscombe
Aircraft Model 11A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 11-115
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 May 15 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1510
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Joseph and John Drexler
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Sun City
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85351
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name John Drexler
Operator Same as Owner? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GEU
Departure City Glendale
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APV
Destination City Apple Valley
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 4 2002 3:24PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --