LAX94LA364
1994-09-15 · POWAY, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Current FAA registration · N114FF
- Make / Model
- ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL 114
- Year of manufacture
- 1976 · 18 years old at event
- Engine
- LYCOMING IO-540-T4A5D (260 hp)
- Seats / Engines
- 4 seats · 1 engine
- Last airworthiness date
- 19760407
- ADS-B equipped
- Yes — Mode-S A03B92
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and failure to refuel the aircraft prior to departure.
Factual narrative
On September 15, 1994, at 1757 hours Pacific daylight time, a Rockwell International Model 114, N114FF, experienced a total loss of engine power in cruise flight near Poway, California. During the emergency landing on Highway 67, the airplane collided with power lines and was substantially damaged. Neither the private pilot nor the two passengers were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the personal flight, and no flight plan was filed. At 1745, the pilot departed from the Warner Springs (uncontrolled) Airport, Warner Springs, California. According to the operator, the pilot had planned to fly directly to Gillespie Field, El Cajon, California. The direct route distance between these airports was about 31.3 nautical miles. At the accident site, the airplane was examined to determine the quantity of fuel which remained in the engine and all fuel tanks. Less than 1 pint of fuel was observed in the airplane. The National Transportation Safety Board requested by letter dated September 23, 1994, that the pilot complete the required Safety Board "Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report," Form 6120.1/2. The pilot was verbally requested to complete the form on September 29, 1994. On April 14, 1995, the pilot's residence was telephoned and a message was left for the pilot to submit the required form. As of April 21, 1995, the Safety Board has not received the required form. THE PILOT'S DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS 31.3 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS TOOK OFF AND FLEW FOR ABOUT 12 MINUTES BEFORE EXPERIENCING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AS IT APPROACHED A HIGHWAY DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE AIRPLANE WAS EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE QUANTITY OF FUEL WHICH REMAINED IN THE ENGINE AND ALL FUEL TANKS. LESS THAN 1 PINT OF FUEL WAS OBSERVED IN THE AIRPLANE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1994_LAX94LA364.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
Search this event elsewhere
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Related research
Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (fuel exhaustion). All research papers
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- AOPA Air Safety Institute 2023 · Safety advisor Safety Advisor: Fuel Awareness
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- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2022 · Journal article (IJAAA) Establishing Commercial Aviation Safety Privilege: Court Precedent versus Statute
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- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2020 · Conference paper Under Pressure: Decision Making in Aircraft Maintenance and the Role of Gender
In aircraft maintenance, leaders are under near-constant pressure to maintain airworthiness. Every minute an aircraft cannot fly due to maintenance represents financial waste.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Technical Memorandum (TM) U.S. Civil Rotorcraft Accidents, 1963 Through 1997
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