Piper PA-28-180 accident near Selma, California, June 20, 2000
On June 20, 2000 at about 3:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N32322, was substantially damaged in an accident near Selma, 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
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning that resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent collision with grapevines during an off airport forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2000 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Selma, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N32322 · no longer on the register · serial 750504928
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with grapevines during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. The pilot was in contact with air traffic control just prior to the forced landing and reported he had experienced fuel exhaustion. An examination of the airplane following the accident indicated there was no fuel in the fuel tanks and no evidence of fuel spillage or fuel tank rupture.
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: 414 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,724 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 1999; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUG Eugene OR at 11:00 pm
- Destination: ONT Ontario CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 190°F (88°C), dew point 142°F (61°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from FAT
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.
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.