Benton Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Redding, California 96001
Sunday, March 30, 2008 14:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that, while maneuvering on downwind within the airport traffic pattern, he thought the fuel selector valve was on the "left" tank and rotated the handle 1/4 turn in the clockwise direction to a position he thought was "both." As the pilot turned onto base leg, he noticed the engine had lost power and initiated a forced landing to an area adjacent to the runway. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard on a rising embankment near the runway and came to rest upright. The fuselage and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that the fuel selector valve was actually in the "right" position, and when he rotated the fuel selector handle he had inadvertently positioned the valve to the "off" position. The pilot added that there were no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's incorrect positioning of the fuel tank selector.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/30/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Redding
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96001
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403416N
Event Location Longitude 1222416W
Event Location Airport Benton Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O85
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 719
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1445 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 127
Weather Observation Facility ID RDD
Elevation of weather observation facility 505
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
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
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25065
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Mar 30 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 24 2009 8:18AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA FSDO Sacramento

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N95ME
NTSB Number LAX08LA089
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 180K
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18052783
Certified Max Gross Weight 3190
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 Aug 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 6883
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name TRES AMIGOS FLYING CLUB LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14581 CLEAR CREEK KNOLLS DR
Aircraft Owner City REDDING
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96001-9542
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Eric W. Marshall
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Redding
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 96001
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code O85
Departure City REDDING
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1425
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 USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - downwind
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2009 6:17PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 2420
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --