Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Hesperia, California, August 6, 1985
On August 6, 1985 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N6166H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hesperia, California (Hesperia Air Lodge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- August 6, 1985 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Hesperia, California · Hesperia Air Lodge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N6166H · registry record · serial 28R-7803093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON COMPLETING A X-C FLT, THE PLT PLACED THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR IN THE DOWN POSITION, & THEREAFTER OBSERVED 'THREE IN THE GREEN.' THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY, & AS WEIGHT PLACED ONTO THE GEAR THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR RETRACTED. THE ACFT VEERED OFF TH RWY & SLID TO A STOP. THE LANDING GEAR & GEAR RETARACT SYSTEM WERE SUBSEQUENTLY EXAMINED. THEY WERE FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY, & APPEARED TO BE UNDAMAGED. THE REASON FOR THE RIGHT GEAR'S RETRACTION WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: 266 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 242 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1985; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tri State Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: L26 Hesperia CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 3,910 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.