- Date
- July 23, 1990, 20:15 local (Jul 24, 1990, 03:15 UTC)
- Place
- Apple Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N41455Piper PA-28-151
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900723028239A
- Case key
- 26647
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper preflight planning/decision by the pilot. Factors related to the accident were: failue of the pilot to configure the aircraft's flaps for a soft field takeoff, his improper use of stabilator trim, high density altitude, soft runway, and trees near the departure end of the runway.
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
The plt/owner arrived abt 1.5 hr before sunset to take delivery of the acft after it was given a new paint job. Newly upholstered front seats were reinstalled & the acft was prefltd & given an eng run-up on the ramp to avoid a run-up over gravel. The plt initiated a takeoff on rwy 34, which was only 1650' long. The rwy surface consisted of soft dirt & sand. A witness rprtd the acft became airborne at the dep end of the rwy & reached an alt of abt 30 ft. it then settled in a level attitude, collided with yucca trees & burned after coming to rest. An investigation revealed the density alt at the arpt was abt 5700'; abt 15 mi west at george afb, the wind was fm 200 deg at 12 KTS. A witness near the acdnt site estd the wind was fm the sw at 2 to 5 KTS. The stabilator trim was fnd in a full nose down psn. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was fnd. Flaps were fnd in the fully retracted psn.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41455
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7415219
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael J. Nelson
- Destination
- L67 · Rialto, CA
- Airport
- 27CA · Holiday Ranch, runway 34, 1,650 × 50 ft, dirt
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 150 in this make and model · 107 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- VCV, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.