Snohomish Co (Paine Field) Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mukilteo, Washington 98275
Monday, July 9, 2007 6:37 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with trees during a forced landing after the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion on approach to the pilot's destination airport. The pilot said that during the his preflight inspection he did not visually ascertain the quantity of fuel in the tanks. En route to his destination he flew past several airports, beaches, and roads. Following the loss of power, the airplane descended into trees about 3,000 feet short of the destination runway. The pilot indicated that during the flight no mechanical malfunctions were experienced.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to refuel the airplane, either before departure or at any of the alternate airports en route.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/2007
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 637
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Mukilteo
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98275
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 475540N
Event Location Longitude 1221726W
Event Location Airport Snohomish Co (Paine Field)
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 606
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22152
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 Aug 30 2007 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Seattle, WA FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3964M
NTSB Number LAX07CA211
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 12-2846
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Marc A. Olson
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Seattle
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Marc A. Olson
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Seattle
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 7WA3
Departure City Friday Harbor
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PAE
Destination City Mukilteo
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 15 2007 4:30PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16R
Runway Length 9010
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --