Piper PA-28-140 accident near San Diego, California, March 3, 2002
On March 3, 2002 at about 11:34 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1775T, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Montgomery Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation due to the pilot's mismanagement of the fuel system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2002 · about 11:34 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1775T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a loss of engine power and impacted terrain about 450 yards from the approach end of the runway. The pilot spent about 1.5 hours reviewing the flight manual for the airplane due to his unfamiliarity with this model. He departed with the left fuel tank selected. He spent about 2 hours flying, and then returned to the departure airport. On his initial descent he switched the fuel selector valve to the right tank. About 1 nm from touchdown, the engine began to lose power. He rechecked that the mixture was rich, and the carburetor heat was on. He contacted the air traffic control tower and declared an emergency. He executed a forced landing short of the runway due to insufficient altitude. The pilot inspected the fuel tanks and observed no fuel in the tanks; however, the airplane was in a nose down, left wing low attitude. An FAA inspector examined the fuel system. He observed fuel in the left tank, but none in the right tank. A post accident engine ground run-up was conducted utilizing the left tank with no discrepancies noted.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,391 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 278 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 25, 2002; 5,931.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 9:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28R, 4,577 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MYF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.