Piper PA-38-112 accident near Kernville, California, January 15, 2000
On January 15, 2000 at about 4:03 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2572N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kernville, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's in-flight decision to not refuel the airplane at an en route stop as planned.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 2000 · about 4:03 am local time
- Place
- Kernville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2572N · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0925
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During preflight planning, the pilot realized he would need an en route fuel stop due to forecast headwinds. About 45 minutes into the flight, his passenger became agitated and he diverted to an alternate airport in his flight path, which was about 25 miles from his planned fuel stop, to take care of the passenger's concerns. He found that there were no fuel services available at this airport, and in recalculating his flight plan, estimated that he had enough fuel to continue the flight to the destination airport without stopping to refuel at his planned en route fuel stop. He stated that after takeoff from the alternate airport it was becoming dark and he was a stressed out due to mountainous terrain on his flight path, as well as his passenger's discomfort. Approximately 5 miles southeast of the accident airport the pilot informed air traffic control that he was low on fuel. He was provided vectors to the accident airport, which did not have a lighted field. After descending to a lower altitude to locate the airport the engine quit. He switched tanks, and the engine restarted. Approximately 15 seconds later the engine quit again. He saw two cars on a road and landed in-between them. The right wing collided with a road sign during the landing rollout. The fuel tanks were inspected and found to contain residual fuel, with no evidence of leakage.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 117 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,087 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 30, 1999; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L72 Trona CA at 3:30 am
- Destination: FAT Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 am from BFL, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N2572N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.