Piper PA-31-310 accident near Byron, California, August 3, 1991
On August 3, 1991 at about 2:58 am local time, a Piper PA-31-310, registered N504DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Byron, California. 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE AND HIS MISJUDGING THE DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1991 · about 2:58 am local time
- Place
- Byron, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310 · all PA-31-310s on the register
- Registration
- N504DB · no longer on the register · serial 31-222
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE ON A PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, WHICH WAS THE THIRD FLIGHT OF THE DAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS HAD BEEN FILLED PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE FLIGHTS. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 40 MILES SHORT OF THE DESTINATION, BOTH ENGINES SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. DURING THE ENSUING EMERGENCY LANDING THE AIRPLANE LANDED 400 FEET SHORT OF A SMALL AIRPORT RUNWAY, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND DITCH, AND SHEARED OFF THE LANDING GEAR. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE WAS FOUND AT THE FUEL CAPS OR FUEL DRAINS.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,880 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,880 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 1991; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L39 Ramona CA
- Destination: APC Napa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:46 am from LVK, 12 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.