Piper PA-24-250 accident near Carson City, Nevada, May 19, 2006
On May 19, 2006 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7857P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carson City, 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 loss of engine power due to the pilot's inadequate fuel system management, which resulted in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2006 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, 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
- N7857P · no longer on the register · serial 243080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed gear up during a forced landing in a field following an in-flight loss of engine power. The airplane experienced a loss of engine power after about an hour's flight. The pilot pulled the carburetor heat on first, and then turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, but power was not restored. The pilot then turned the fuel selector from the left main fuel tank to the left auxiliary tank and waited for 1 minute. Power was still not restored. He switched to the right auxiliary fuel tank but still nothing happened. The pilot attempted to restore power by using the primer to pump fuel to the engine. The pilot committed to an off-field landing in an alfalfa field after failing to restore engine power. After clearing power lines, the pilot extended full flaps and opted not to extend his landing gear. An inspection performed at the scene of the accident by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed that both main fuel tanks were completely dry and both auxiliary fuel tanks were full. An inspector placed the fuel selector on the auxiliary tank position and turned on the boost pump. After several seconds, the fuel system pressurized and operated normally. No mechanical problems were found with the fuel system or the airplane.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,605 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 088 Rio Vista CA
- Destination: MEV Minden NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.