Piper PA-28-150 accident near Victorville, California, May 30, 1998
On May 30, 1998 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-150, registered N5962W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Victorville, California (Southern California Int. 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 installation of incorrect washers for the brake manifold by maintenance personnel, which resulted in the left brake locking up, which made it impossible for the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1998 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Victorville, California · Southern California Int.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-150 · all PA-28-150s on the register
- Registration
- N5962W · registry record · serial 28-3821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the Automated Weather Observation Service (AWOS) was reporting calm winds at the time of the accident. He entered a left downwind for runway 21 and was cleared to land. He reported that as he started the turn from base to final he felt a little crosswind from the west and compensated with rudder and aileron. The pilot stated that he seemed to be set up for a 'perfect straight landing,' but as he touched down, he felt sudden bounce and pull to the left, so he applied right rudder. The aircraft became airborne again and veered to the left, hitting the 3K runway sign marker with the right wing. The mechanic who repaired the aircraft following the accident reported that the left main gear brake had locked up. He stated that he examined the brake manifold and discovered that the washers were oversized, and were actually the washers for the fuel cell. The mechanic opined that the oversized washers could have caused the left brake to remain locked up even though the brakes were not being applied.
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: 124 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 1997; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HHR Hawthorne CA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: VCV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 9,138 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.