Piper PA-32S-300 accident near Adelanto, California, July 20, 2012
On July 20, 2012 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32S-300, registered N5212S, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Adelanto, California (Adelanto airport). 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the aborted takeoff, which was aborted due to fuel starvation as a result of an inadvertent in-flight activation of the fuel drain activation lever by the passenger. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to have the fuel drain protective cover repaired prior to flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2012 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Adelanto, California · Adelanto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32S-300 · all PA-32S-300s on the register
- Registration
- N5212S · registry record · serial 32S-40904
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed from the dirt airstrip with two passengers. The takeoff roll was uneventful, and shortly after rotation, the engine emanated an unusual sound and lost power. With half the runway remaining, the pilot elected to land ahead. The airplane subsequently landed hard, departed the runway, and struck a pole. The pilot reported that the electrical fuel pump made an unusual sound during the run-up but still produced nominal fuel pressure. The pump, as well as the airframe and engine, were subsequently examined, and no malfunctions or failures were noted that would have precluded normal operation. The electrical pump is a backup for the engine driven pump and will provide positive fuel pressure in the event of an engine driven pump failure. Therefore, a failure of the electrical pump likely would not cause a loss of engine power. Further examination of the airframe revealed a large fuel streak trailing along the belly of the airplane, emanating from the fuel drain sump port. The pilot stated that the stain was not present when the airplane was washed a few flights prior to the accident. A passenger was seated above the drain activation lever, which is located in the aft area of the footwell at the base of the right middle seat. The protective cover had been damaged previously and had not been repaired prior to the accident flight. As such, the lever was exposed and could easily have been inadvertently activated by the passenger’s foot. Such activation could drain fuel from the sump pump and subsequently starve the engine of fuel and result in a loss of engine power. The inclusion of the protective cover was required per a Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directive in order to prevent inadvertent activation in flight.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff defining event
- Fuel starvation during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Damaged/degraded
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › (general) › Not serviced/maintained
- factor Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 2, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,394 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2011; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52CL Victorville CA at 7:15 pm
- Destination: L26 Hesperia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,930 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from KVCV, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.