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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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August 16, 2000 · Schweizer G-164B · N6543R

Olancha, CA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 16, 2000
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Olancha, CA
Aircraft
Schweizer G-164B
Tail Number
N6543R
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX00LA304

While in the cruise portion of a positioning flight, the engine lost power. During the forced landing on a dirt road, which had shoulders higher than the roadbed, the lower left wing dug into a dirt shoulder and the airplane nosed over. The pilot told the deputy he thought the airplane might be out of fuel. The deputy did not observe fuel leaking on the ground or any wet spots under the inverted airplane. After the airplane was righted during recovery, the Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator noted 3 gallons of fuel were drained from the fuel system. The operator said this represented the unusable fuel quantity for this airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power.

Full Narrative

On August 16, 2000, about 0715 hours Pacific daylight time, a Schweizer G-164B, N6543R, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing on a dirt road near Olancha, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power during cruise. San Joaquin Helicopters, Inc., operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The positioning flight departed Delano, California, about 0550, and was en route to Lone Pine, California, where it was to be refueled and loaded with chemicals for aerial application work. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot told a responding sheriff's deputy the engine lost power and he attempted to land on a dirt road. The roadbed was lower than the dirt shoulders. The lower left wing dug into the shoulder and the airplane nosed over. The pilot thought the airplane might be out of fuel. The deputy did not observe fuel leaking on the ground or any wet spots under the inverted airplane. The operator said the airplane had a main fuel tank containing 48 gallons and an auxiliary 17-gallon tank. The Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator observed the operator recover the airplane. After the airplane was righted during recovery, he noted that recovery personnel drained 3 gallons of fuel from the fuel system. The operator said this represented the unusable fuel quantity for this airplane. In his written statement, the pilot said there was no mechanical malfunction of the airplane or engine.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time07:15 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftSchweizer G-164B
Tail NumberN6543R
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsP&W · 1340 · Reciprocating · 600
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 56 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind320° @ 6 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point14 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time13:56
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data