Amateur-built VENTURE accident near San Luis Obispo, California, February 12, 1991
On February 12, 1991 at about 11:00 pm local time, a amateur-built VENTURE, registered N71T, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Luis Obispo, California. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM VENT CHECK VALVE, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1991 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VENTURE
- Registration
- N71T · registry record · serial 26
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING THE INITIAL TEST FLIGHT ON HIS HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT. AFTER EXECUTING SEVERAL APPROACHES WITHOUT ACTUALLY LANDING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE A FINAL APPROACH TO A FULL STOP. AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET AGL, THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. EXAMINATION BY THE FAA REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY, BUT THE ENGINE FAILED AS A RESULT OF FUEL STARVATION CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL SYSTEM VENT CHECK VALVE.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL during takeoff - initial climb
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- ON GROUND/WATER ENCOUNTER WITH TERRAIN/WATER during landing - roll
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, APLN, none
- Flight time: 1,220 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: none
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N71T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX91LA107.