Piper PA-28-181 accident near Victorville, California, December 23, 1988
On December 23, 1988 at about 1:50 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N4297X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Victorville, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- December 23, 1988 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Victorville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N4297X · no longer on the register · serial 28-8390046
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: 72 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,159 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 1988; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bud Walen Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: L35 Big Bear CA
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.