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SEA92LA012

1991-10-13 · DUCHESNE, Utah, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport U69

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S INATTENTION AND BECOMING LOST. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE NIGHT CONDITIONS.

Factual narrative

DURING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS UNAWARE THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD DRIFTED OFF COURSE UNTIL THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL AND THE AIRPORT WAS NOT IN SIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN THE AIR AN EXTRA 45 MINUTES WHEN THE PILOT SPOTTED AN AIRPORT. REALIZING THE FUEL WAS LOW, THE PILOT TURNED TOWARD THE AIRPORT. ENROUTE, ONE FUEL TANK WAS EXHAUSTED OF FUEL. THE PILOT SWITCHED TO THE OTHER FUEL TANK AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE REMAINING FUEL TANK WAS EXHAUSTED OF FUEL AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED SHORT AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_SEA92LA012.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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