Haigh Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orland, California 95963
Monday, July 9, 2007 13:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot and passenger departed the airport on a short familiarization flight. The passenger noted that the fuel gauges were reading empty but the pilot said not to pay attention to the fuel gauges. The engine sputtered and lost power about 10 miles north of the airport at 1,200 feet while in a left turn. The pilot executed a forced landing into a soft and recently plowed crop field, and the airplane nosed over. One gallon of fuel was drained from the airplane during the recovery. No airframe or engine mechanical failures or malfunctions were identified by the FAA inspector that examined the airplane wreckage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's improper preflight inspection and preparation, and his failure to ensure adequate fuel was onboard for the anticipated flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/2007
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Orland
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95963
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 394313N
Event Location Longitude 1220847W
Event Location Airport Haigh Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KO37
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3.85
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 210
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1249 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID KCIC
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.83
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22858
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Sacramento FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4521M
NTSB Number LAX07LA212
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 182G
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18255142
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mark Hirschel
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Jackson
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95642
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Lawrence Shapiro
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Palo Alto
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 94303
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code KO37
Departure City Orland
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
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 Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 17 2007 5:50PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --