Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Victorville, California 92345
Thursday, December 22, 1988 17:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING ON AN INTERSTATE. DURING THE DESCENT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TRANSMISSION WIRES AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAME TO REST ON INTERSTATE 15. DURING AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE, IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH FUEL TANKS CONTAINED VERY LITTLE FUEL. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AN OFFICER FROM THE SAN BERNARDINO CALIFORNIA SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT NOTED A STRONG ODOR OF ALCOHOL ON THE PILOTS BREATH AND THAT HIS EYES APPEARED TO BE VERY GLASSY AND BLOODSHOT. A TOXICOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF BLOOD TAKEN FROM THE PILOT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .03 PERCENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/22/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City VICTORVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92345
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 12
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VCV
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1993
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 22 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1920
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38349
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4297X
NTSB Number LAX89LA067
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8390046
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 14 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 3159
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHAPMAN, HOWARD W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10350 SANTA MONICA BLVD STE210
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90025
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BUD WALEN AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7150 HAVENHURST AVE.
Operator City VAN NUYS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91406
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 L35
Departure City BIG BEAR
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VNY
Destination City VAN NUYS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --