What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 28, 2001, about 0038 hours pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-150, N5346W, operated by the pilot/owner was substantially damaged while maneuvering to land at Hesperia, California. The commercial rated pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight operating under 14 CFR part 91, and a visual flight plan was filed. The flight originated at redding, California, and was destined for upland, California. Upon arriving at upland, the pilot was unable to land due to weather, so he diverted to Hesperia. The pilot located the airport rotating beacon, but was unable to turn on the runway lights. According to the southwest airport/facility directory, the nonstandard runway lights are common traffic advisory frequency (123.0 mhz) controlled. While maneuvering around the airport area, the engine quit. The airplane descended into a residential area and collided with electrical transmission lines. Responding fire department personnel reported that the airplane appeared to be out of fuel. The pilot's flight planned route measured about 484 nautical miles. According to the flight manual information, the published range is 510 nau tical miles. (-23) pilot departed redding, CA, VFR, approximately 00:38 pacific daylight time enroute to upland, CA. Pilot stated that upon arriving in the vicinity of the upland he was unable to locate the cable airport due to low cloud cover. He then decided to proceed to Hesperia, CA in order to land VFR. Upon arriving in the vicinity of the airport the aircraft lost power due to fuel exhaustion. While attempting to glide to a landing the aircraft struck power lines coming to rest in a residential area.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 28, 2001, ABOUT 0038 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-150, N5346W, OPERATED BY THE PILOT/OWNER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND AT HESPERIA, CALIFORNIA. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND A VISUAL FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT REDDING, CALIFORNIA, AND WAS DESTINED FOR UPLAND, CALIFORNIA. UPON ARRIVING AT UPLAND, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND DUE TO WEATHER, SO HE DIVERTED TO HESPERIA. THE PILOT LOCATED THE AIRPORT ROTATING BEACON, BUT WAS UNABLE TO TURN ON THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. ACCORDING TO THE SOUTHWEST AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY, THE NONSTANDARD RUNWAY LIGHTS ARE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (123.0 MHZ) CONTROLLED. WHILE MANEUVERING AROUND THE AIRPORT AREA, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND COLLIDED WITH ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES. RESPONDING FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE OUT OF FUEL. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE MEASURED ABOUT 484 NAUTICAL MILES. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT MANUAL INFORMATION, THE PUBLISHED RANGE IS 510 NAU TICAL MILES. (-23) PILOT DEPARTED REDDING, CA, VFR, APPROXIMATELY 00:38 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME ENROUTE TO UPLAND, CA. PILOT STATED THAT UPON ARRIVING IN THE VICINITY OF THE UPLAND HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CABLE AIRPORT DUE TO LOW CLOUD COVER. HE THEN DECIDED TO PROCEED TO HESPERIA, CA IN ORDER TO LAND VFR. UPON ARRIVING IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GLIDE TO A LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINES COMING TO REST IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5346W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.