Piper PA-24-250 accident near Red Mountain, California, February 23, 1993
On February 23, 1993 at about 2:45 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5607P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red Mountain, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO SEE THE TERRAIN DUE TO THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND THE FLIGHT'S ENCOUNTER WITH INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT FOLLOWING THE ENGINE FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1993 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Red Mountain, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5607P · no longer on the register · serial 24-675
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED NAS CHINA LAKE AT 1520 HOURS AND FLEW TO SAN DIEGO, ARRIVING AT ABOUT 1650 HOURS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FLEW THE ENTIRE TRIP ON THE LEFT FUEL TANK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT REFUELED DURING THE TIME IT WAS ON THE GROUND IN SAN DIEGO. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AT 1715 HOURS FOR THE RETURN TO NAS CHINA LAKE. AT ABOUT 1835 HOURS THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SAID HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT, ENERGIZED THE BOOST PUMP AND WAS ABLE TO GET AN ENGINE RESTART. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN AND THE PILOT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO GET A RESTART. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO A CLOUD DECK AND COLLIDED WITH HILLY TERRAIN DURING THE NIGHT FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT OVER DESERT TERRAIN. AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH A TRACON FACILITY RECEIVING RADAR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES. HE REPORTED TO THE CONTROLLER AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE THAT 'I GUESS I'M OUT OF FUEL.' IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE.
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: 203 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 163 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,739 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 22, 1992; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: US Navy China Lake Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 1:15 am
- Destination: NID Nas China Lake CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from NID, 23 miles away
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.