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LAX95LA004

1994-10-11 · SAN JOSE, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport RHV

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

the pilot's mismanagement of the fuel system and his failure to select a tank containing fuel.

Factual narrative

On October 11, 1994, at 1155 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA24- 250, N8413P, collided with terrain while attempting a forced landing in a field near the Reid-Hillview airport, San Jose, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a total loss of power while on a 2-mile final approach for runway 31R at Reid- Hillview. The aircraft was operated by Amelia Reid Aviation of San Jose, California, and was rented by the pilot for a local area personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and included calm winds. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at the Reid-Hillview airport on the day of the accident at 1030 as a local area personal flight. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors responded to the accident site and examined the aircraft. The auxiliary fuel tanks were dry or nearly dry. The right main fuel tank was also void of fuel, while the left tank was about 1/4 full. The fuel selector valve was found positioned to the right main fuel tank. On October 27, 1994, the engine was run under the supervision of FAA inspectors. During the test, the engine started easily and operated normally throughout its normal range of power. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR THE REID-HILLVIEW AIRPORT. THE FORCED LANDING WAS PRECIPITATED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE ON A 2-MILE FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 31R AT REID-HILLVIEW. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTORS RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE AND EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS WERE DRY OR NEARLY DRY. THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK WAS ALSO VOID OF FUEL, WHILE THE LEFT TANK WAS ABOUT 1/4 FULL. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK. THE ENGINE WAS RUN UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF FAA INSPECTORS. DURING THE TEST, THE ENGINE STARTED EASILY AND OPERATED NORMALLY THROUGHOUT ITS NORMAL RANGE OF POWER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1994_LAX95LA004.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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