Madera Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Madera, California 93637
Sunday, August 26, 2012 10:54 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he was nearing the end of a 349-mile flight. When he was 3.5 miles from the destination airport, at 2,300 feet mean sea level, the engine began to sputter and then quit. The pilot was over a residential neighborhood and realized the airplane was not going to make it to the airport. He turned the airplane right toward a dry river bed; however, the airplane collided with a tree, then impacted terrain, and flipped over. The pilot said it was likely that he had exhausted his fuel supply.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1054
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Madera
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93637
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365805N
Event Location Longitude 1200446W
Event Location Airport Madera Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KMAE
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 --
Airport Elevation 255
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID KMAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 255
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KMAE 261753Z AUTO 30009KT 10SM CLR 24/09 A2993 RMK
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30592
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2012 4:51PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6346S
NTSB Number WPR12CA370
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 150G
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15067146
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 28 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3570
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name KNAPP DAVID A
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City PLEASANTON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94566-4706
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name West Coast Flying Service
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City White City
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 97503
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 No
Departure Airport Code KIFP
Departure City Bullhead City
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 650
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KMAE
Destination City Madera
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2012 4:51PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --