Piper PA-28-181 accident near Avalon, California, May 21, 2005
On May 21, 2005, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3004U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Avalon, California (Catalina airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to refuel the airplane prior to takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2005
- Place
- Avalon, California · Catalina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3004U · no longer on the register · serial 28-7990331
- 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 total loss of engine power during cruise flight and impacted the ground during the ensuing forced landing. The pilot had flown from Long Beach to Catalina, whereupon he had lunch. The pilot said he believed he had 17 gallons in each tank when he left Long Beach. The pilot did not refuel the airplane at Catalina and did not visually verify the quantity of fuel in the airplane's two wing fuel tanks before taking off. After flying for several minutes, the engine lost power. The pilot noted one fuel tank gauge registered "empty," and the other gauge registered 1/4- and then 1/8-tank of fuel remaining. Engine power was briefly restored, and then it was finally completely lost. The pilot attempted a forced landing on the runway, but impacted the ground before reaching it. According to the aircraft rental firm's records, when the accident pilot departed Long Beach the airplane had previously been operated 2.1 hours since its last refueling to the level of the filler neck 17-gallon indicator tabs. Post crash, the airplane's recording hour meter registered that the pilot had flown for 1.4 hours for a combined total of 3.5 hours since last refueling.
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: 66 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,814 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2005; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Long Beach Flying Club & Flight Academy
The flight
- Departed from: AVX Avalon CA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from AVX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N3004U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.