Dornier DO-28 accident near Paradise, California, May 2, 1993
On May 2, 1993 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Dornier DO-28, registered N12828, was destroyed in an accident near Paradise, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE POOR IN FLIGHT FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS BY THE PILOT AND THE PILOT'S IN FLIGHT DECISION NOT TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS WHICH CAUSED THE TOTAL FAILURE OF BOTH OF THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINES. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE FUEL STARVATION AND THE HIGH VEGETATION IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1993 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Paradise, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dornier DO-28 · all DO-28s on the register
- Registration
- N12828 · registry record · serial 3023
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ABOUT 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER. HE TURNED THE LEFT FIREWALL MOUNTED ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP ON AND SELECTED LEFT AUX TANK. THE LEFT ENGINE REGAINED POWER. HE SELECTED THE RIGHT ENGINE TO RIGHT AUX TANK. AFTER 20-30 SECONDS BOTH ENGINES QUIT. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART EITHER ENGINE AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN HEAVY BRUSH AT ABOUT 40 KNOTS. THE FAA REPORTED THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MISMANAGED THE FUEL, AND WAITED TOO LONG TO SWITCH TANKS.
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, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,570 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 16,500 as pilot in command; 7,300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,625 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 1992; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SVE Susanville CA at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from CIC, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.