What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted Did not fly for the last four or five years.
He does not have a current medical certificate, a current flight review, nor any current maintenance inspections on his aircraft
About early July 2019, when privacy data omitted decided to fly again at klpc (Lompoc Airport CA.), he cleaned off his aircraft, drained the fuel and replenished the tanks with fresh 100 ll avgas.
He also greased the wheel bearings.
During the week of July 7, 2019, privacy data omitted took control of his aircraft on three occasions.
On the first day he performed high speed taxi checks of his aircraft on the runway at Lompoc Airport.
Two days later he acted as PIC and flew around the pattern six times. After each landing he performed a full engine run-up to check his power.
Two days later and the third event that week, he flew around the pattern for ten takeoff and landings.
On the evening of July 15, 2019 privacy data omitted decided to fly at night for his night currency. He flew around the pattern and performed three or four takeoff and landings.
During his last approach the runway lights were extinguishing themselves and privacy data omitted was frustrated by the lack of lighting.
He was keying his microphone trying to illuminate the runway lights. He was so focused on the lack of lighting that he lost spatial orientation and descended into trees on short final during his approach to landing for runway 25 at Lompoc Airport.
The aircraft landed upside down in the dirt area just short of the highway. He climbed out of the aircraft and was uninjured.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DID NOT FLY FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
HE DOES NOT HAVE A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, A CURRENT FLIGHT REVIEW, NOR ANY CURRENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS ON HIS AIRCRAFT
ABOUT EARLY JULY 2019, WHEN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DECIDED TO FLY AGAIN AT KLPC (LOMPOC AIRPORT CA.), HE CLEANED OFF HIS AIRCRAFT, DRAINED THE FUEL AND REPLENISHED THE TANKS WITH FRESH 100 LL AVGAS.
HE ALSO GREASED THE WHEEL BEARINGS.
DURING THE WEEK OF JULY 7, 2019, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT ON THREE OCCASIONS.
ON THE FIRST DAY HE PERFORMED HIGH SPEED TAXI CHECKS OF HIS AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY AT LOMPOC AIRPORT.
TWO DAYS LATER HE ACTED AS PIC AND FLEW AROUND THE PATTERN SIX TIMES. AFTER EACH LANDING HE PERFORMED A FULL ENGINE RUN-UP TO CHECK HIS POWER.
TWO DAYS LATER AND THE THIRD EVENT THAT WEEK, HE FLEW AROUND THE PATTERN FOR TEN TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS.
ON THE EVENING OF JULY 15, 2019 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DECIDED TO FLY AT NIGHT FOR HIS NIGHT CURRENCY. HE FLEW AROUND THE PATTERN AND PERFORMED THREE OR FOUR TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS.
DURING HIS LAST APPROACH THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE EXTINGUISHING THEMSELVES AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF LIGHTING.
HE WAS KEYING HIS MICROPHONE TRYING TO ILLUMINATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. HE WAS SO FOCUSED ON THE LACK OF LIGHTING THAT HE LOST SPATIAL ORIENTATION AND DESCENDED INTO TREES ON SHORT FINAL DURING HIS APPROACH TO LANDING FOR RUNWAY 25 AT LOMPOC AIRPORT.
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE DIRT AREA JUST SHORT OF THE HIGHWAY. HE CLIMBED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS UNINJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.