Hesperia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hesperia, California 92345
Thursday, September 16, 1993 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED HE ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS UNDERNEATH THE AIRPLANE AS HE ENTERED A MOUNTAIN PASS EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION. HE REQUESTED VECTORS AND DIVERTED TO HESPERIA AIRPORT. HE REPORTED HE ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTIES ACTIVATING THE PILOT CONTROLLED AIRPORT LIGHTS. HE STATED HE THOUGHT HE WAS SET UP ON A 'NORMAL NIGHT APPROACH' TO THE RUNWAY WHEN HE HIT POWERLINES ABOUT 300 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. HE REPORTED NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, BUT FORGOT TO OPEN THE FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT HAD 9 HOURS OF TOTAL NIGHT EXPERIENCE, 6 OF WHICH WERE AS PIC.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND NOT MAINTAINING A PROPER GLIDEPATH. FACTORS PERTAINING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT IN COMMAND NOT OBTAINING A WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT, AND THE LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIEINCE IN NIGHT FLYING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/16/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 50
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HESPERIA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92345
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 HESPERIA AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L26
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 210
Airport Elevation 3390
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 50 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 35
Weather Observation Facility ID DAG
Elevation of weather observation facility 1927
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 884
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 16 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 4:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49813
NTSB Number LAX93LA354
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15281334
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Sep 2 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 7184
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1100 NORTH GRAND AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City WALNUT
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91789
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1100 NORTH GRAND AVENUE
Operator City WALNUT
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91789
Operator Code CQ9T
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 LAS
Departure City LAS VEGAS
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 2200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code POC
Destination City LA VERNE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 21
Runway Length 3910
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --