Piper PA-28R-200 N3030R

Summary

On 1 August 1992 at about 00:30 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N3030R, operated by Candle and Associates, was involved in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 1992 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Gila Bend, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.8195, -111.9009

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N3030R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Candle and Associates

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Yucca Valley → Tucson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA329

Nobody was injured.

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOTS INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND INFLIGHT PLANNING, AND, HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TUCSON, ARIZONA, ON THE MORNING OF JULY 31 FOR A FLIGHT TO YUCCA VALLEY. WHEN HE WAS READY TO DEPART ON THE RETURN LEG OF THE ROUND ROBIN CROSS COUNTRY THE PILOT DISCOVERED THAT NO FUEL SERVICE WAS AVAILABLE AT YUCCA VALLEY AND HE DEPARTED WITH THE INTENTION OF FUELING THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ENROUTE BACK TO TUCSON. AFTER DEPARTURE FROM YUCCA VALLEY, THE AIRCRAFT BY PASSED THE AIRPORTS AT PALM SPRINGS AND THERMAL, THEN OVER FLEW BLYTHE, CALIFORNIA. OVER BLYTHE THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT RAISE ANYONE ON THE UNICOM TO VERIFY IF FUEL WAS AVAILABLE. THE NEXT AIRPORT ON THE MOST DIRECT ROUTING TO TUCSON WAS GILA BEND, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING TOWARD THE GILA BEND AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN A FIELD AND INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.