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LAX89LA214

1989-06-16 · SAN DIEGO, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SDM

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT SELECTION OF THE OFF POSITION ON THE FUEL SELECTOR.

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN AND LANDED IN A DIRT AREA ON THE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCAFT ON THE SITE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. THE FUEL LINES FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL WERE RUPTURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RESTING NOSE DOWN. NO FUEL LEAKAGE WAS OBSERVED. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND DURING THE POST CRASH EXAM OF THE ENGINE OR THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN IN THE AIRCRAFT FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES AND WAS FOUND TO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FULL POWER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA214.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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