# NTSB LAX80FA055: Piper PA-28, N4517X, Palmdale, CA, February 17, 1980

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: February 17, 1980
- Place: Palmdale, CA · PALMDALE, CA
- Location: 34.5794° N, 118.1165° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Palmdale, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5794&lon=-118.1165&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal, 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report February 21, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 131649
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX80FA055
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX80FA055

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3289  80/2/17  NR.PALMDALE,CA        PIPER PA-28         CR-  0  1  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 19, 468
        TIME - 1805                    N4517X              PX-  2  1  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 79 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          BULLHEAD CITY,AZ            BURBANK,CA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INITIATED FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN AREAS OF SEVERE TURBULENCE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - DOWNDRAFT,UPDRAFTS
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
           WEATHER - UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST/LOWER SCATTERED                                  8000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
          NONE                                                     240
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           42                                                      IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- SIGMET H6 STATED SEV TURB BLW 24000FT,ESP W/IN 6000FT OF SFC OVR ROUGH TER.WINDS ALOFT TO 50KTS.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4517X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4517X-1984-07-12), registration cancelled 1984-07-12, S/N 28-7610034, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (registry code 7102810) (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 19800217003219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800217003219A), Feb 17, 1980: Piper PA28235, Palmdale, CA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Pilot could not maintain altitude during IFR flight & crashed into mountainous area. Turbulence was forcast.

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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