Piper PA-28-181 accident near Rio Vista, California, June 23, 1991
On June 23, 1991 at about 4:54 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N1029H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rio Vista, California (Rio Vista airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOTS IMPROPER FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1991 · about 4:54 am local time
- Place
- Rio Vista, California · Rio Vista · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N1029H · registry record · serial 28-7790278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE HAD THE AIRCRAFT REFUELED TO MAXIMUM TANK CAPACITY PRIOR TO DEPARTING FROM SACRAMENTO AT 1720 HOURS. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW TO ALTURAS, WHERE IT LANDED AT 1920 HOURS. AFTER A BRIEF STOP TO DEPLANE ONE PASSENGER, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ALTURAS AT 1945 HOURS FOR THE REMAINING LEG OF THE FLIGHT TO PALO ALTO. AT 2154 HOURS, THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER THE RIO VISTA AIRPORT. THE PILOT SAID HE ATTEMPTED A POWER OFF FORCED LANDING AT THE AIRPORT AND OVERSHOT THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED LONG, RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THROUGH TWO FENCES. THE RIO VISTA FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY TO THE ACCIDENT SITE. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WHO ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, NO FUEL REMAINED IN THE TANKS AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE.
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: 305 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O00 Alturas CA at 2:45 am
- Destination: PAO Palo Alto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,060 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 070° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX91LA272.