Piper PA46-310P accident near Los Angeles, California, February 25, 1991
On February 25, 1991 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA46-310P, registered N9132X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Santa Monica airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING PERFORMED BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND IN ACCURATELY DETERMINING THE WEIGHT AND FUEL CONSUMPTION OF THE AIRPLANE WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1991 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Santa Monica · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46-310P · all PA46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9132X · no longer on the register · serial 4608086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA 46-310P LOST ENGINE POWER AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. EXAM OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED ABOUT ONE PINT OF FUEL IN EACH WING TANK. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE OR ANY EVIDENCE AIRCRAFT FUEL LEAKS AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AN INFLIGHT FUEL LEAK ON THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HIS PLANNED FUEL CONSUMPTION SHOULD HAVE AVERAGED 17 GALLONS PER HOUR (GPH). THE AVERAGE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE TRIP WAS 19.9 GPH. THE PIPER PA 46-310P, PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) PREDICTS A FUEL CONSUMPTION OF 17.5 GPH FOR THE TRIP FLIGHT CONDITIONS. THE PILOT CALCULATED THE MAX GROSS WEIGHT (GWT) OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE START OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT TO BE 4,116.7 POUNDS, 1.3 POUNDS BELOW THE MAX RAMP WT OF 4,118 POUNDS. THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECALCULATED BASED ON ACTUAL PASSENGER WEIGHTS AND ACTUAL BAGGAGE WEIGHTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE 260 POUNDS OVER MAXIMUM GWT BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE POH DOES NOT LIST ANY PERFORMANCE DATA FOR AN AIRCRAFT BEING OPERATED OVER MAXIMUM GWT.
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: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,779 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 3,612 as pilot in command; 669 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 787 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 28, 1990; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,118 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-520BEI (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Malibu Air
The flight
- Departed from: SKE Taos NM
- Destination: SMO Santa Monica CA
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 21, 4,987 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from SMO, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.