Piper PA-38-112 accident near Davis, California, December 7, 2011
On December 7, 2011, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2466D, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Davis, California (Yolo County airport). 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
The pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 2011
- Place
- Davis, California · Yolo County · 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
- N2466D · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before beginning the cross-country flight, the pilot did not fill the fuel tanks to capacity due to weight and balance concerns and estimated the amount of fuel onboard. While on final approach, the engine lost power. Following the loss of engine power, the pilot switched fuel tanks, but he could not recall which fuel tank the fuel selector was positioned to before the power loss. The pilot landed the airplane in a field short of the runway, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. When the airplane came to rest, the pilot positioned the fuel selector to the "off" position. Postaccident examination revealed that fuel was present in the left wing tank; however, no fuel was identified in the right wing tank. The engine was test run with no operational anomalies identified. Although the position of the fuel selector when the power loss occurred could not be determined, it is likely that it was positioned to the right fuel tank. In this position, the engine would have been unable to access fuel from the left fuel tank.
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 starvation during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 106 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 37 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 21, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,018 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 10, 2011; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMF Sacramento CA
- Destination: DWA Davis CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N2466D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.