Piper PA-24-250 accident near Fallon, Nevada, June 10, 2003
On June 10, 2003 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5058P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fallon, Nevada. 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
The pilot's inadequate preflight and his mismanagement of the fuel supply by his failure to switch fuel tanks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 2003 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fallon, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5058P · registry record · serial 24-507
- 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 obstacles during an emergency landing on a highway following a loss of engine power during cruise flight. Prior to departure, the pilot had visually checked the airplane's fuel tanks, but did not use a dipstick or other means to quantify the fuel on board. He then set the fuel selector to the right tank deeming it the fullest one at an estimated ¾ capacity. Not wanting to wait for fuel, the pilot departed the airport and left the fuel selector on the right tank for the duration of the flight until the engine lost power. Post accident investigation of the aircraft by an A&P mechanic revealed the right tank to be "completely dry." The left still had ½ to 1 inch of fuel remaining. After refueling the aircraft, an engine run-up did not reveal any discrepancies with either the engine, the engine's fuel flow, or the engine driven and electrical fuel pumps. The pilot later stated that the accident could have been prevented by "not relying on the fuel gage" and by sticking the tanks "with a paint stick or something appropriate" instead of relying on a visual inspection to accurately determine fuel quantity 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: 164 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 18, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,288 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLOL Lovelock NV at 3:40 pm
- Destination: KFLX Fallon NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KNFL, 15 miles away
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.