- Date
- December 22, 1988, 17:50 local (Dec 23, 1988, 01:50 UTC)
- Place
- Victorville, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4297XPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881222058469A
- Case key
- 26311
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flight, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing on an interstate. During the descent, the airplane collided with transmission wires and subsequently came to rest on interstate 15. During an inspection of the wreckage, it was found that both fuel tanks contained very little fuel. Inspection of the engine did not reveal any failures or malfunctions. During an interview with the pilot shortly after the accident, an officer from the san bernardino California sheriff's department noted a strong odor of alcohol on the pilots breath and that his eyes appeared to be very glassy and bloodshot. A toxicological examination of blood taken from the pilot at the accident site revealed a blood alcohol level of .03 percent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4297X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8390046
- Airframe hours
- 3,159
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bud Walen Aviation
- Registered owner
- Chapman, Howard W.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 14, 1988 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- L35 · Big Bear, CA
- Destination
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 72 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VCV
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.