Piper PA-25-235 accident near Llano, California, January 23, 2005
On January 23, 2005 at about 11:06 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N6745Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Llano, California (Crystal Airport). It was a glider-towing 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 planning and failure to verify the amount of fuel onboard the airplane prior to departure, which resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 2005 · about 11:06 pm local time
- Place
- Llano, California · Crystal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N6745Z · registry record · serial 25-2360
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a loss of engine power, the airplane collided with a sign, crushing the left wing, while the pilot was performing a forced landing on a road. After departing, with a glider in tow, the pilot entered a climb in an effort to reach an adequate altitude for the glider to release from the line. Upon reaching 1,000 feet above ground level (agl), the airplane's engine abruptly lost power. The glider released from the tow line and the pilot maneuvered the airplane towards a road. On the landing roll the left wing impacted a sign located on the side of the road, and the airplane ground looped. During a post-accident examination, investigators drained several ounces of fuel from gascolator, and the remaining fuel from the carburetor (less than a pint), noting no anomalies. The intact fuel tank contained no fuel and there was no evidence of in flight fuel leakage from the fuel strainer or tank. The engine started with no difficulties and preformed normally at several different power settings. The airplane had been flown 1.4 hours since the last refueling. According to the manufacturer, the engine consumes about 23 gallons of fuel per hour at maximum power of 2,575 revolutions per minute (rpm), and 19 gallons an hour at 2,500 rpm. The pilot thought that the airplane had an estimated 10 gallons of fuel on board prior to his last departure, but noted that the fuel gauge was unreliable. The accident flight lasted approximately 30 minutes, which would have resulted in the consumption of 9.5 gallons of fuel utilizing the 19-gallon/hour fuel consumption rate.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,515 hours in all; 257 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,374 as pilot in command; 382 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Western Soaring Co.
The flight
- Departed from: 46CN Llano CA at 10:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PMD, 16 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.