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Atlas / NTSB / LAX83LA088

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event LAX83LA088

1983-02-04 NAPA, California, United States Airport · APC Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE PASSENGER, WHO WAS THE OWNER OF THE ACFT, PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT & STATED THE FUEL TANKS WERE OVER HALF FULL. THE PLT ALSO NOTED THAT BOTH FUEL GAUGES READ OVER HALF FULL. THE FLT DEPARTED OAKLAND AT 1310. ABOUT 10 MI FROM NAPA THE PLT BRIEFLY APPLIED CARB HEAT AT 2,500 FT. ABOUT 2 MIN LATER HE REAPPLIED CARB HEAT, REDUCED POWER TO 15 INCHES & DESCENDED TO PATTERN ALTITUDE. AT 1340, WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER BUT THE ENG FAILED TO RESPOND. THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT DIRT FIELD WITHIN 1 MILE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE UNTIL 5 OR 6 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK & ABOUT 4 GALS WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT TANK. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_LAX83LA088.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.