Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chemehuevi Valy, California 92363
Saturday, September 4, 1993 18:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ON THE RETURN LEG OF A PERSONEL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN A RENTAL AIRPLANE. THE PILOT WAS WITHIN SIX MILES OF A PLANNED FUEL STOP AIRPORT AT 3500 FEET MSL WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE FAILED TO GET A RESTART AND WAS FORCED TO LAND ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS ABANDONED FOR SEVERAL DAYS DURING WHICH TIME DESERT WINDS BLEW THE AIRPLANE UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIRPLANE WAS EVENTUALLY RETRIEVED BY HELICOPTER FROM THE REMOTE DESERT SITE. AFTER RETRIEVAL, THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE WERE EXAMINED. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION. BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE LAY UPSIDE DOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS, NO FUEL WAS AVAILALBE FOR TESTING NOR QUANTIFYING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE POWER LOSS HE HAD FLOWN FOR 2.5 HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE NATURE OF THE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CHEMEHUEVI VALY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92363
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID HII
Elevation of weather observation facility 483
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 40
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1437
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N10669
NTSB Number LAX93LA346
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15074962
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 5965
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL A. ROBERTI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5035 E. ROADRUNNER DR.
Aircraft Owner City MESA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85205
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ARIZONA AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5035 E. ROADRUNNER DR.
Operator City MESA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85205
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BFL
Departure City BAKERSFIELD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FFZ
Destination City MESA
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --