Amateur-built 360 accident near Davis, California, June 23, 1990
On June 23, 1990 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built 360, registered N360GC, was destroyed in an accident near Davis, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AFTER THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE THE STOPPER TO THE FUEL TANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1990 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Davis, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 360
- Registration
- N360GC · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OBSERVED THE FUEL TANK STOPPER BACK OUT OF THE FILLER NECK AND DEPART THE AIRCRAFT. A LARGE QUANTITY OF FUEL SURGED OUT OF THE TANK. DURING THE RETURN TO THE RUNWAY THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A STORAGE BUILDING DURING THE DESCENT AND LANDING. THE PILOT STATED HE MAY NOT HAVE SECURED THE STOPPER TIGHT ENOUGH AFTER AN EARLIER REFUELING THAT MORNING.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,244 hours in all; 141 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 141 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1989; 4 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°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.