Piper PA-24-260 accident near Napa, California, May 6, 2001
On May 6, 2001 at about 7:04 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N8710P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Napa, California (Napa County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's failure to verify the fuel supply before flight, and his improper fuel management, that resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power during takeoff climb resulting in a forced landing and collision with ground obstacles.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2001 · about 7:04 pm local time
- Place
- Napa, California · Napa County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8710P · registry record · serial 24-4157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a forced landing due to a loss of engine power on climb following a touch-and-go, the airplane touched down near the end of the runway, rolled across a field, struck a fence, and stopped in a ditch. The airplane departed 35 minutes earlier with main fuel tanks indicating half full and auxiliary fuel tanks indicating full. The pilot did not verify the indications of the fuel quantity gauges. In the accident type of airplane, takeoffs and landings must be performed with fuel being drawn from the main fuel 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,202 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 2,886 as pilot in command; 2,139 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 23, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CA35 San Rafael CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: APC Napa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18R, 5,931 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from APC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.