Piper PA-28-181 N4297X

Summary

On 23 December 1988 at about 01:50 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N4297X, operated by BUD Walen Aviation, was involved in an accident near Victorville, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

23 December 1988 at 01:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Victorville, California, United States

Coordinates

34.3607, -117.3192

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N4297X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

BUD Walen Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Big Bear → Van Nuys

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX89LA067

2 people were seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.