Piper PA-32-300 accident near Ukiah, California, February 16, 2000
On February 16, 2000 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N1452T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ukiah, 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
failure of the pilot to comply with the checklists in the Owner's Handbook, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2000 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ukiah, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N1452T · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Fuel levels in both fuel tanks were 1 inch from the top of the filler neck when the airplane departed Hayward, California, en route to Ukiah. The right tank was selected for the flight to Ukiah, the landing, and the subsequent takeoff for the return trip to Hayward. A right turn was initiated after departure from runway 33 at an altitude of 400 feet agl. Passing through 500 feet, the pilot encountered a power fluctuation, which concerned him enough to continue his turn to set up for a landing on runway 15. The engine then quit producing power, and the pilot set up a glide to attempt a return to the airport. After advancing the mixture, throttle, and propeller controls, he verified the ignition was on, but did not have time to switch fuel tanks. The airplane collided with a fence along the airport boundary. The FAA accident coordinator observed the fuel selector on the right tank and drained 12 ounces of fuel from that tank. The fuel inlet line to the engine was examined and no fuel was present. The left tank fuel level was 1 inch below the filler neck. The takeoff and approach and landing checklists in the Owner's Handbook instruct the pilot to select the fullest tank for landing and the proper tank for takeoff.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: UKI
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 am from UKI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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.