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LAX91LA178

1991-04-15 · LAS VEGAS, Nevada, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N4416A

Make / Model
PIPER PA-18-150
Year of manufacture
1956 · 35 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20040930
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A5517F

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THAT THE PILOT IMPROPERLY SELECTED THE FUEL TANK THAT DID NOT CONTAIN ANY FUEL AND HIS SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED.

Factual narrative

WHILE ON A LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS POWER. THE PILOT NEGOTIATED SEVERAL TURNS IN SEARCH OF A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT THEN EXECUTED A SHARP 90 DEGREE TURN AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THAT THE PILOT IMPROPERLY SELECTED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO THE LEFT TANK WHICH DID NOT CONTAIN ANY FUEL. THE RIGHT TANK WAS FOUND NEARLY FULL OF FUEL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX91LA178.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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