Bakersfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bakersfield, California 93307
Thursday, January 6, 1983 18:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE TAKE-OFF AND WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. DURING ARRIVAL AT NIGHT, HE CIRCLED TWICE OVER THE AIRPORT AND NOTICED THAT THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE CLEAR, THEN ENTERED THE PATTERN TO LAND. THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, HE EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY, UNEXPECTED WHITE-OUT. REPORTEDLY, A THIN ARM OF GROUND FOG WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THAT BRIEF MOMENT, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT OVER THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. TWO RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE SHEARED OFF. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN THE WHEEL HIT A CONCRETE SLAB AT THE BASE OF A RUNWAY LIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1840
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BAKERSFIELD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93307
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BAKERSFIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L45
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 378
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 319
Weather Observation Facility ID BFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 492
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 26
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 19685
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N38916
NTSB Number LAX83LA068
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 287716293
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Jul 7 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 1702
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD O. PRASSER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1817 SHIRLEE CT.
Aircraft Owner City BAKERSFIELD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93306
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 Yes - certificate holder
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IPL
Departure City IMPERIAL
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L45
Destination City BAKERSFIELD
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --