Switch In Fuel Tanks May Have Led To Desert Plane Crash

KESQ.com News Services

INDIAN WELLS -A single-engine plane that crashed landed Jan. 25 in a field in Indian Wells lost power when the pilot switched fuel tanks, a preliminary federal report shows.

The low-wing, two-seater — a CZAW SportCruiser registered to a Palm Springs flight school — went down before 3:30 p.m. that Monday in a field at Washington Street and Miles Avenue, sheriff’s deputies said.

The pilot and passenger were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The plane, registered to Desert West Aviation, had taken off from the Palm Springs International Airport about 2 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The pilot decided to switch fuel tanks from the right to the left “in order to balance the fuel load,” according to the report. Shortly after switching tanks, the engine quit, and the pilot was unable to restart it, the NTSB report states.

“The pilot initially selected an open field suitable for landing, but realized that he was unable to make it due to a head wind,” according to the report.

The pilot selected the field near the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and made a hard landing.

Both pilots on board were experienced, the flight school’s owner, David Shapiro, said earlier.

Preliminary NTSB reports publish facts about accidents but do not try to pinpoint the cause.