Piper PA-28-180 accident near Santa Maria, California, July 10, 2000
On July 10, 2000 at about 8:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4209T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Maria, California (Santa Maria Public airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to ensure that an adequate fuel supply was on board at last departure, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane at the en route stop was also causal.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2000 · about 8:47 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Maria, California · Santa Maria Public · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4209T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7205098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lost power in cruise flight and made a forced landing in a residential area near the Santa Maria Airport, colliding with obstructions during the touchdown and landing roll. The flight originated at Reno, Nevada, and had made an en route stop at Concord, California. On departure from Reno, the fuel tanks contained 34 total gallons, and the pilot did not refuel the airplane while at Concord. About 25 miles northwest of the accident site, the pilot first observed indications of a low fuel state and notified Los Angeles ARTCC that he would be diverting to Santa Maria because of the critical fuel situation. When the pilot changed frequencies to the Santa Maria ATCT local controller, he reported that he thought the airplane was out of fuel. Two minutes later the pilot announced that he was "completely out of fuel" and did not think he would make it to the runway. The pilot told responding police officers that he figured the fuel on board was adequate to continue to his destination. No breaches were observed in either of the fuel tanks or the lines. No fuel was found in the tanks.
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: 240 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 8, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CCR Concord CA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: IZA Santa Ynez CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from SMX, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.