Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sandy Valley, Nevada 89019
Saturday, March 24, 1990 19:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH POWER TRANSMISSION WIRES AFTER A LOSS OF POWER. THE STUDENT PILOT INDICATED THAT HE BECAME LOST AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD WHEN THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED HE 'DID NOT SEE THE POWER LINES' AND THAT THE COLLISION WITH THE LINES CAUSED THE CRASH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POOR FLIGHT PLANNING AND POOR INFLIGHT DECISIONS RESULTING IN BECOMING LOST AND EXHAUSTING FUEL BEFORE LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANDY VALLEY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89019
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2599
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1951 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2174
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 28
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1845
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 25 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43633
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6181B
NTSB Number LAX90LA124
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier 182A
Aircraft Serial Number 34181
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERNON R. DIETZ
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1006
Aircraft Owner City KING CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93930
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 R1R
Departure City RIVERSIDE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --