Accident Details
Date
Saturday, May 20, 1989
NTSB Number
LAX89LA199
Location
ARCATA, CA
Event ID
20001213X28355
Coordinates
40.850963, -124.050796
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1
Probable Cause and Findings
THE PILOTS INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND IMPROPER FUEL TANK SELECTOR POSITION. THESE RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION TO BOTH ENGINES WHEN THE AUX TANKS RAN DRY AND THE MAINS HAD FUEL REMAINING IN THEM. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED WHEN THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
Aircraft Information
Registration
N35479
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
31-8052024
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Registered Owner (Historical)
Name
FORTUNA COMMUNICATIONS CORP
Address
4102 JACOBS AVE
Status
Deregistered
City
EUREKA
State / Zip Code
CA 95501
Country
United States
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX89LA199