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LAX89LA220

1989-06-17 · SACRAMENTO, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SAC

Current FAA registration · N92827

Make / Model
COMMONWEALTH 185
Engine
CONT MOTOR C85 SERIES (85 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19581008
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ACDEA0

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE THE FUEL LOAD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION DURING CRUISE ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE INTENDED DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT LANDED ON A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH A FENCE. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD 'NEVER BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETELY TRUST THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS,' AND, THAT VISUAL CHECKS OF THE FUEL TANKS WERE NOT ACCURATE DUE TO THE GROUND ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE USED A SYSTEM OF FUEL USAGE CALCULATION VERSUS AMOUNT OF FUEL LOADED ONBOARD TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANKS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT USED A FUEL DIP STICK DEVICE TO QUANTIFY THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANKS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA220.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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