Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

June 12, 2007 · Cessna 340A · N340WS

Ludlow, CA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 12, 2007
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Ludlow, CA
Aircraft
Cessna 340A
Tail Number
N340WS
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
SEA07LA156

The pilot stated that he did not visually inspect the fuel level in the tanks of the twin-engine airplane before departure. About 15 minutes into the flight, he noticed that the fuel gages were "erratic." About 5 minutes later, the left engine lost power and then regained power with no action by the pilot. Shortly thereafter, the right engine lost power, and the pilot "went to aux pumps" and attempted a restart with no success. The left engine then lost power for the second time, and the pilot "went to aux pumps" and attempted a restart with no success. The pilot made a forced landing in the desert, and during the landing roll, the airplane struck rocks. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right main tank was intact and contained no fuel, and the left main tank was punctured and contained a trace of fuel. The right and left auxiliary tanks contained 27 and 21 gallons of fuel, respectively. Both the left and right fuel selectors were positioned to the right main tank, and both auxiliary fuel pump switches were in the low position. Review of the Pilot's Operating Handbook for the Cessna 340A indicated that in order to utilize the fuel in the auxiliary tanks, the left and right fuel selectors must be positioned to the left and right auxiliary tanks, respectively, and the auxiliary fuel pump switches should be placed in the low position. When questioned about the amount of fuel on board the airplane at departure, the pilot stated that he believed fuel must have been stolen from the airplane while it was parked on the ramp for three days prior to the accident. A written statement was obtained from the line service technician who refueled the airplane, which confirmed that he topped off the airplane with 74.6 gallons of 100LL three days before the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of engine power from both engines due to fuel starvation resulting from the pilot's improper fuel tank selector position. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Full Narrative

On June 12, 2007, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 340A, N340WS, experienced a dual loss of engine power and sustained substantial damage during the ensuing forced landing in the desert near Ludlow, California. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross country flight from Bullhead City, Arizona, to Ontario, California. The flight departed Laughlin/Bullhead City International Airport about 30 minutes prior to the accident. During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge and in a written statement, the pilot reported he landed at Bullhead City on June 9 and had the airplane refueled with 74.6 gallons of 100LL, which filled the main and auxiliary fuel tanks. The pilot stated that he did not visually inspect the fuel level in the tanks before departure. About 15 minutes into the flight, he noticed that the fuel gages were "erratic." About 5 minutes later, the left engine lost power and then regained power with no action by the pilot. Shortly thereafter, the right engine lost power, and the pilot "went to aux pumps" and attempted a restart with no success. The left engine then lost power for the second time, and the pilot "went to aux pumps" and attempted a restart with no success. The pilot made a forced landing in the desert alongside Interstate 40. During the landing roll, the airplane struck rocks. Damage to the airplane included a bent and buckled left wing, puncture of the left wing tip (main) tank, collapsed landing gear, and deformation of the fuselage bottom. Examination of the airplane at the accident site by an FAA inspector revealed that the right main tank was intact and contained no fuel, and the left main tank was punctured and contained a trace of fuel. Both auxiliary tanks contained fuel. When drained by recovery personnel, the right auxiliary tank yielded 27 gallons of fuel and the left auxiliary tank yielded 21 gallons of fuel. The FAA inspector reported that both the left and right fuel selectors were positioned to the right main tank, and the auxiliary fuel pump switches were both in the low position. Review of the Pilot's Operating Handbook for the Cessna 340A indicated that in order to utilize the fuel in the auxiliary tanks, the left and right fuel selectors must be positioned to the left and right auxiliary tanks, respectively, and the auxiliary fuel pump switches should be placed in the low position. When questioned about the amount of fuel on board the airplane at departure from Bullhead City, the pilot stated that he believed fuel must have been stolen from the airplane while it was parked on the ramp between June 9 and June 12. A written statement was obtained from the line service technician who refueled the airplane, which confirmed that he topped off the airplane with 74.6 gallons of 100LL about 1930 on June 9.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:30 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 340A
Tail NumberN340WS
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsTeledyne Continental · TSIO-520 · Reciprocating · 310 | Teledyne Continental · TSIO-520NB · Reciprocating · 310
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 74 · Third Class · Minor

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point11 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data