Piper PA-38-112 accident near Porterville, California, July 31, 1992
On July 31, 1992 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2519N, was destroyed in an accident near Porterville, California. It was an instructional 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 THE STUDENT PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND INFLIGHT PLANNING, AND THE FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1992 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2519N · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0887
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT'S STATEMENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 5 MILES OUT FROM THE AIRPORT DESCENDING TOWARD THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND QUIT INTERMITTENTLY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO AFFECT AN ENGINE RESTART AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH ORANGE TREES ABOUT ONE HALF MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY ROUND ROBIN FLIGHT FROM VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA, WITH PLANNED STOPS AT PASO ROBLES AND PORTERVILLE FOR A TOTAL DISTANCE OF ABOUT 400 STATUTE MILES. THE DISTANCE FLOWN FROM VAN NUYS TO PORTERVILLE WITH THE STOP AT PASO ROBLES WAS ABOUT 270 MILES. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE STUDENT DEPARTED PASO ROBLES AT ABOUT 1645 HOURS FOR PORTERVILLE AND DID NOT REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT AT PASO ROBLES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS WHO FOUND NO FUEL IN THE FUEL LINES OR CARBURETOR BOWL. NO FUEL SPILLAGE OR ODOR WAS DETECTED IN THE SOIL BENEATH THE AIRCRAFT. THE FUEL TANKS WERE RUPTURED IN THE IMPACT SEQUENCE WITH THE ORANGE TREES.
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: student
- Flight time: 52 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,597 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 23, 1992; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: California Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PRB Paso Robles CA at 11:54 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.