Piper PA 28-140 accident near Whittier, California, April 4, 2017
On April 4, 2017 at about 5:00 am local time, a 1973 Piper PA 28-140, registered N55339, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Whittier, California. It was a personal 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 impaired decision-making due to alcohol intoxication and his improper fuel management, which resulted in a total 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
- April 4, 2017 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Whittier, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-140 140, built 1973 · all PA 28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N55339 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot reported to local law enforcement that, while he was flying at 1,000 ft, the airplane's engine experienced a total loss of power. He subsequently conducted a forced landing onto a large trucking yard. The landing site was about 61 miles northwest of the departure airport and in the opposite direction of his intended destination. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector was set to the right fuel tank. The master electrical switch was "ON," the right fuel gauge indicated empty, and the left fuel gauge indicated between 0 and 5 gallons. The fuel tanks were intact and undamaged. It is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel starvation. Responding law enforcement officers reported that they could smell a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the pilot's breath/person. A formal blood test, which was administered about 5 hours after the accident, revealed that the pilot had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.16%. The effects of ethanol on aviators are generally well understood; it significantly impairs pilots' performance, even at very low levels. Federal Aviation Administration regulations prohibit any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having 0.040 gm/dl or more ethanol in the blood.
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 maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Alcohol › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F70 Temecula CA
- Destination: San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,900 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:06 pm from FUL, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 12, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Email - NTSB Chief Medical Officer | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Memorandum - Regarding Accident Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation - Local Law Enforcement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Record of Conversation - Federal Aviation Administration | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Record of Conversation - Regarding Blood Alcohol Concentration | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | On Scene Photos Courtesy of Local Law Enforcement and FAA | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.