RED MOUNTAIN, CA, USA
N5607P
PIPER PA-24-250
THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED NAS CHINA LAKE AT 1520 HOURS AND FLEW TO SAN DIEGO, ARRIVING AT ABOUT 1650 HOURS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FLEW THE ENTIRE TRIP ON THE LEFT FUEL TANK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT REFUELED DURING THE TIME IT WAS ON THE GROUND IN SAN DIEGO. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AT 1715 HOURS FOR THE RETURN TO NAS CHINA LAKE. AT ABOUT 1835 HOURS THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SAID HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT, ENERGIZED THE BOOST PUMP AND WAS ABLE TO GET AN ENGINE RESTART. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN AND THE PILOT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO GET A RESTART. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO A CLOUD DECK AND COLLIDED WITH HILLY TERRAIN DURING THE NIGHT FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT OVER DESERT TERRAIN. AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH A TRACON FACILITY RECEIVING RADAR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES. HE REPORTED TO THE CONTROLLER AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE THAT 'I GUESS I'M OUT OF FUEL.' IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE.
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO SEE THE TERRAIN DUE TO THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND THE FLIGHT'S ENCOUNTER WITH INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT FOLLOWING THE ENGINE FAILURE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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