# NTSB LAX74AL069: Piper PA-28, N9581J, Tehachapi, CA, April 9, 1974

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: April 9, 1974
- Place: Tehachapi, CA · TEHACHAPI, CA
- Location: 35.1430° N, 118.4460° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Tehachapi, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1430&lon=-118.4460&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 10, 1974
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 125943
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX74AL069
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX74AL069

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2267   74/4/9    TEHACHAPI,CALIF     PIPER PA-28         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 24, UNK/NR
        TIME - 0840                    N9581J              PX-  2  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          BULLHEAD CITY,ARIZ          DELANO,CALIF
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
           TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY RADIO
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  800
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      37
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          310                                                       22
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- HIT TREES IN MTN PASS AT 5140FT.SANDBURG 0900PST WX.GUSTS TO 30K.CLOUDS & SNO SHWRS OBSCNG MTNS N.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9581J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9581J-1975-05-09), registration cancelled 1975-05-09, S/N 28-3719 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19740409018369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19740409018369A), Apr 9, 1974: Piper PA28180, Tehachapi, CA, Substantial damage, 2 fatal. Hit trees in mtn pass at 5140FT.sandburg 0900PST wx. Gusts to 30K.clouds & sno shwrs obscng mtns n.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.