Grumman AA-1A accident near Bishop, California, February 12, 1994
On February 12, 1994 at about 1:40 am local time, a Grumman AA-1A, registered N9614U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bishop, California. 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 pilot's inadequate preflight planning and en route fuel consumption monitoring.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1994 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Bishop, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-1A
- Registration
- N9614U · registry record · serial AAIC-OO72
- 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 DEPARTED AT 1455 WITH FULL FUEL, AND WITH THE LEFT TANK SELECTED. AT 1610 HOURS, HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WHEN THE GAUGE FOR THE LEFT INDICATED ONE-QUARTER. ONE HOUR 10 MINUTES LATER, THE PILOT SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP AND SWITCHED BACK TO THE RIGHT TANK; THE ENGINE RAN FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN QUIT AGAIN. THE PILOT TURNED TOWARD AN AIRPORT 12 MILES AWAY, BUT THE AIRCRAFT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE AIRPORT AND THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOIL AND NOSED OVER. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT TANKS. THE SOIL BENEATH THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED, WITH NO ODOR OF FUEL EVIDENT. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS EXAMINED BY A MECHANIC WITH NO SYSTEM DISCREPANCIES NOTED. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINES FROM THE WING ROOT TO THE FUEL SELECTOR, AND ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS NOTED IN THE FUEL LINE FROM THE SELECTOR VALVE TO THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP.
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: 313 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 244 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,415 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 10:55 pm
- Destination: MMH Mammoth Lakes CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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.
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.