Casualties unknown

Forced Landing Following Fuel Exhaustion and Collision with Automobile (N7604P)

San Jose, CA, US

On February 25, 2002, a Piper PA-24-250 (registration N7604P) operated by Amelia Reid Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near San Jose, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate planning and improper fuel consumption calculation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

On approach, the airplane exhausted its fuel, forcing the pilot to land on a street where it collided with an automobile. The pilot reported no refueling before the return leg and miscalculated fuel consumption.

Incident Overview

During approach to the destination airport, the airplane experienced fuel exhaustion. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a public street, during which the aircraft collided with an automobile.

Pilot Report

The pilot subsequently reported that he had not refueled the airplane prior to departing on the return portion of a round-robin cross-country flight. He also stated that he had evidently miscalculated the airplane engine's fuel consumption rate. According to the pilot, no mechanical malfunction occurred during the flight.

Findings

The forced landing was necessitated by the complete depletion of fuel. The collision with the automobile occurred during the landing rollout. No other contributing factors were identified in the pilot's account.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20020305X00306. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.