Piper PA-28-161 accident near Bakersfield, California, January 7, 1983
On January 7, 1983 at about 2:40 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N38916, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1983 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N38916 · no longer on the register · serial 287716293
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 434 hours in all; 434 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 425 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,702 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 7, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IPL Imperial CA
- Destination: L45 Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from BFL, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N38916 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.