# NTSB OAK69A0053: Piper PA-24, N8492P, Smartville, CA, February 18, 1969

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: February 18, 1969
- Place: Smartville, CA · SMARTVILLE, CA
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report April 18, 1969
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 191330
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK69A0053
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK69A0053

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0072  69/2/18    SMARTVILLE,CALIF    PIPER PA-24         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 46, 1300
        TIME - 1635                    N8492P              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - RAIN
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          BROKEN                                                    1300
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                           RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          NONE                                                     VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 2/24/69. ACFT LOCATED ABOUT 24 MILES LEFT OF FLT PLANNED ROUTE. NOT INST RATED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8492P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8492P-1969-03-24), registration cancelled 1969-03-24, S/N 26-72 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-400](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-400) (registry code 7102408) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

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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