North Las Vegas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

North Las Vegas, Nevada 89032
Sunday, June 23, 2002 22:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While taxiing without landing lights at night, the airplane departed the taxiway and came to rest in a concrete drainage ditch. After landing, the pilot maneuvered the airplane onto the taxiway with the assumption that the turnoff was a 90-degree turn. The pilot indicated that he was aware that the landing/taxi light on the airplane was inoperative. He further stated that he flew the airplane after dark with the known deficiency. The pilot stated that there were no other mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision to continue the flight after dark with an inoperative taxi/landing light deficiency, and his unfamiliarity with the taxiways.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/2002
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City NORTH LAS VEGAS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89032
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361200N
Event Location Longitude 1151100W
Event Location Airport North Las Vegas
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VGT
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 2205
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2156 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VGT
Elevation of weather observation facility 2205
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14057
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2003 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-LAS-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N160RA
NTSB Number LAX02LA205
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17268851
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Jun 19 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 2375
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name L J AIR INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9716 GAVIN STONE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City LAS VEGAS
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89145
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code VGT
Departure City NORTH LAS VEGAS
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2150
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code VGT
Destination City NORTH LAS VEGAS
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2003 6:45PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 07
Runway Length 5004
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --