Piper PA-18-150 accident near Bakersfield, California, September 15, 1995
On September 15, 1995 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N7498L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 1995 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7498L · no longer on the register · serial 18-7609017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, ACCOMPANIED BY A VERY HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE RED LINE. THE ENGINE QUIT ALTOGETHER SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS SET UP FOR A LANDING IN A BARE FIELD WHEN HE NOTICED WORKERS IN THE TOUCHDOWN AREA AND HE WAS FORCED TO LAND IN THE VINEYARD. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE IDENTIFIED DURING THE INITIAL ON-SITE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS, LINES AND CARBURETOR. THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT ROTATED IN A NORMAL MANNER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO AN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE FACILITY. NO PARTICLES OR DEBRIS WERE FOUND IN THE OIL STRAINER OR SUMP. THE LEFT MAGNETO TIMING WAS 25 DEGREES AND THE RIGHT WAS 28 DEGREES. UTILIZING THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUN FOR 15 MINUTES AT IDLE, MID-RANGE, AND FULL POWER SETTINGS. ENGINE OPERATION WAS NORMAL, WITH NORMAL RANGE OIL PRESSURES AND TEMPERATURES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,376 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 045 Vacaville CA at 3:22 pm
- Destination: DAG Barstow CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from BFL, 18 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 N7498L 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.