Pzl PZL-104 35A accident near Oakland, California, January 3, 2009
On January 3, 2009 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Pzl PZL-104 35A, registered N226PF, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Oakland, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2009 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Oakland, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pzl PZL-104 35A Wilga
- Registration
- N226PF · no longer on the register · serial 15800567
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during a local personal flight, the engine lost power as a result of fuel exhaustion. During the forced landing, he maneuvered to avoid power lines and subsequently impacted trees. The pilot related that he thought he had enough fuel for a short local flight. Post accident, the pilot stated that he did not realize he had flown the airplane for more than 4 hours since it had been refueled. The airplane's fuel endurance is about 4 hours.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 18, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,868 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ivchenko A1-14RA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 10:35 pm
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from OAK, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.