Piper PA-24-260 accident near Tehachapi, California, September 15, 1991
On September 15, 1991 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N8888P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tehachapi, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 1991 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Tehachapi, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8888P · registry record · serial 24-4262
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT KNOWING HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS TO REACH HIS DESTINATION. BUT HE WANTED TO RUN THEM DRY TO CHECK THE CALIBRATION ENROUTE FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. BECAUSE OF HIS ALTITUDE, HE OVERFLEW HIS FIRST CHOICE FOR REFUELING, DURING WHICH TIME HIS FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION WAS ERRATIC. AS HE STARTED HIS LETDOWN FOR HIS SECOND CHOICE FOR LANDING HIS ENGINE QUIT. HE ATTEMPTED A LANDING IN A COW PASTURE AND COLLIDED WITH SMALL BERMS.
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: 947 hours in all; 318 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 947 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: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: L12 Redlands CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.