Piper PA-28-140 accident near Chino, California, April 25, 1989
On April 25, 1989 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6073W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chino, California (Chino airport). 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 DID NOT ADEQUATELY PREFLIGHT THE AIRPLANE TO DETERMINE FUEL QUANITY NOR DID HE ACCURATELY CALCULATE THE FUEL CONSUMPTION. IN ADDITION, HE FAILED TO POSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE FULLEST TANK WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1989 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chino, California · Chino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6073W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. UPON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN DAMAGING THE NOSE GEAR, PROPELLER, AND FUSELAGE. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED FIVE GALLONS OF FUEL. THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINED ONE GALLON. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATING OFF OF THE RIGHT TANK PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT FUEL GAUGES AND A VISUAL CHECK LEAD TO CONCLUSION THAT THE ACFT HAD APRX 1 HOUR ON EACH FUEL TANK.
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: 76 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,901 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1988; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,856 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:26 pm from CNO
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.