# NTSB LAX79FA010: Piper PA-32, N400EW, Mojave, CA, October 30, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 30, 1978
- Place: Mojave, CA · MOJAVE, CA
- Location: 35.0525° N, 118.1740° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Mojave, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0525&lon=-118.1740&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report February 9, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 138511
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX79FA010
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX79FA010

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3928  78/10/30 NR.MOJAVE,CA          PIPER PA-32         CR-  2  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 59, 700
        TIME - 1236                    N400EW              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          PORTERVILLE,CA              KINGMAN,AZ
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXCEEDED DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY WEATHER BUREAU PERSONEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - WEATHER SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN FORECAST
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          BROKEN/LOWER SCATTERED                                    3500
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                      59
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          220                                                       14
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- GENERAL DISINTEGRATION.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N400EW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N400EW-1982-07-24), registration cancelled 1982-07-24, S/N 32R-7780253, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32R-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300) (registry code 7103213) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## 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 19781030041799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781030041799A), Oct 30, 1978: Piper PA32RT300, Mojave, CA, Destroyed. General disintegration.

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.

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