Cessna 414A accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, November 26, 2006
On November 26, 2006 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N414AY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of power in the right engine due to fuel starvation. The fuel starvation was the result of the pilot's improper fuel selector position setting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 2006 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N414AY · no longer on the register · serial 414A0488
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane's right engine experienced a loss of power and the airplane collided with a fence during a precautionary landing about 2 miles from the destination airport. Near the conclusion of a cross-country flight, the pilot configured the airplane for landing and continued onto final approach of the traffic pattern at the destination airport. With the airplane between 300 to 500 feet above ground level (agl), the right engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot noted that the airplane was not able to sustain level flight and opted to perform a precautionary landing on a residential street. The left wing collided with a fence and erupted in flames. During recovery of the wreckage, about 1 gallon of fuel was found in the right fuel tank, which remained intact. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage following the accident. He noted no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded the airplane from operating normally. He did observe both fuel selector valves to be positioned on the right fuel tank. The pilot fueled the airplane at the departure airport with the addition of 70 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel, which he stated gave a cumulative 115 gallons on board (57.5 gallons per tank). The airplane's Pilot Operator's Handbook (POH) states that during normal flight operations the left and right fuel selectors are to be positioned to the "LEFT MAIN" and "RIGHT MAIN" tanks, respectively. When both selectors are positioned to the same tank, fuel from that tank will supply both engines. At the airplane's estimated fuel burn rate of 38 gallons per hour and the accident flight's time en route of 1.5 hours, the total fuel burn for both engines would be 57 gallons. The POH further indicates that with one engine inoperative, the airplane should have been able to obtain at least a 500-foot-per-minute climb.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,526 hours in all; 525 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,305 as pilot in command; 1,525 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 7,087 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SBP San Luis Obispo CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12R, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from VGT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.