- Date
- June 30, 1996, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Frazier Park, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6819HCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960630015599A
- Case key
- 29491
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
the failure of the pilot to maintain terrain clearance after a misjudged approach and landing that necessitated a go-around and subsequent collision with some wires. Factors were high density altitude and an inadequate evaluation by the pilot-in-command of the weather conditions.
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 pilot entered a left traffic pattern to land on the dirt strip. He touched down long and elected to go-around. The terrain off the departure end of the dirt runway rose gradually. The pilot used full power and retracted the flaps from full down to an intermediate setting. He then began a left turn airplane to fly downslope and increase the airplane's height above the ground. While in the turn, the airplane struck wires and crashed. The density altitude was about 8,000 feet msl.
Factual narrative
On June 30, 1996, at 1130 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172, N6819H, collided with wires during a go-around after an aborted landing at a private airstrip located near Frazier Park, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the certificated private pilot and sole passenger were not injured. The airplane was being operated by the pilot/owner as a personal flight. The flight originated in Tehachapi, California, about 1100 hours. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The pilot entered a left traffic pattern to land on the dirt strip. He indicated he touched down long on the dirt strip and elected to go-around. The terrain off the departure end of the dirt runway rose gradually. The pilot used full power and retracted the flaps from full down to an intermediate setting. He stated he began a left turn to fly downslope and increase the airplane's height above the ground. While in the turn, the airplane struck wires and descended into the ground.
The pilot cited high density altitude as a limitation, and said there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane. The elevation of the airstrip is 5,160 msl and the pilot reported the temperature as 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6819H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-65595
- Airframe hours
- 3,465
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George W. Novinger
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 4, 1996 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- TSP · Tehachapi, CA
- Airport
- 04L · Conover Air Lodge
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
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,992 total · 1,800 in this make and model · 1,988 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6819H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.