Piper PA-28-140 N5405S
3 December 1992 · Lost Hills, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 3 December 1992 at about 02:14 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N5405S, operated by Hixson, Robert W., was involved in an accident near Lost Hills, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:14
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Lost Hills, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 35.6096, -119.9005
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140
- Registration
- N5405S
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Hixson, Robert W.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Dinuba → Oceano
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- LAX93LA059
People
3 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, POOR FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS, AND DELAY IN EFFECTING ANY REMEDIAL ACTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY BECOMING LOST/DISORIENTED AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH 10 GALLONS OF FUEL TOWARD A MOUNTAINOUS AREA DURING A DARK NIGHT. WHILE ENROUTE THE PILOT BECAME LOST AND DISORIENTED. HE CONTACTED THE TRACON AND REPORTED A LOW FUEL STATE. THE CONTROLLER VECTORED THE FLIGHT TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE PILOT COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE AIRPORT OR TURN ON THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WHILE CIRCLING OVER THE AIRPORT. IN AN ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT DESCENDED TOWARD THE AIRPORT. DURING THE DESCENT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK SOME POWER LINES. THERE WAS NO POST IMPACT FIRE ALTHOUGH THE TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED BURNS ON THEIR ARMS FROM THE SEVERED POWER LINES. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RUNWAY LIGHTS ACTIVATED NORMALLY BY CLICKING THE MICROPHONE USING THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY AS INDICATED IN THE AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-28-161 | New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States | ACS, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jan 1992 | Piper PA-28-140 | Denton, Texas, United States | Thomas A. Tweeddale | No injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-28-140 | Woodland, California, United States | MR. Aircraft, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 21 Nov 1992 | Piper PA-28-140 | Brookfield, Wisconsin, United States | Brookfield Pilot Service, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
| 6 Dec 1992 | Piper PA-28-181 | Missing Acft, California, United States | West Valley Flying Club | Fatal | 4 |
| 29 Mar 1992 | Piper PA-28-161 | Kenai, Alaska, United States | Tapp, Michael A. | No injuries | - |
All 9,402 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-28R-201T | Ludlow, California, United States | Higgins, Melvin W & Jean | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 1992 | Beechcraft C-23 | Fullerton, California, United States | Eldon R. Howe | No injuries | - |
| 23 Feb 1992 | Cessna 150 | San Jose, California, United States | Veda Corporation | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Feb 1992 | Cessna 182N | San Ardo, California, United States | Soil Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Feb 1992 | Grumman G-164B | Dixon, California, United States | Sunrise Duster, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Feb 1992 | Bellanca 7ECA | Apple Valley, California, United States | Chester Waite | Serious injuries | - |