Piper PA-28-181 N3004U

Summary

On 21 May 2005 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N3004U, operated by Long Beach Flying Club & Flight Academy, was involved in an accident near Avalon, California, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 May 2005 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Avalon, California, United States

Nearest airport

Catalina (AVX)

Coordinates

33.4050, -118.4158

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N3004U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Long Beach Flying Club & Flight Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Avalon → Long Beach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX05LA183

1 person was seriously injured.

fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to refuel the airplane prior to takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power during cruise flight and impacted the ground during the ensuing forced landing. The pilot had flown from Long Beach to Catalina, whereupon he had lunch. The pilot said he believed he had 17 gallons in each tank when he left Long Beach. The pilot did not refuel the airplane at Catalina and did not visually verify the quantity of fuel in the airplane's two wing fuel tanks before taking off. After flying for several minutes, the engine lost power. The pilot noted one fuel tank gauge registered "empty," and the other gauge registered 1/4- and then 1/8-tank of fuel remaining. Engine power was briefly restored, and then it was finally completely lost. The pilot attempted a forced landing on the runway, but impacted the ground before reaching it. According to the aircraft rental firm's records, when the accident pilot departed Long Beach the airplane had previously been operated 2.1 hours since its last refueling to the level of the filler neck 17-gallon indicator tabs. Post crash, the airplane's recording hour meter registered that the pilot had flown for 1.4 hours for a combined total of 3.5 hours since last refueling.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.