Event LAX84FA118

1983-12-28 IRWINDALE, California, United States None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N55665

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PIPER PA-28-235

Year of manufacture

1973 · 10 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES (250 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19730515

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A718FD

Registrant of record

BRAMLEY MATT J

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N55665 Piper PA28-235 None

Factual narrative

ACCORDING TO THE FLT INSTR THE ENG LOST PWR AFTER THE STU HAD COMPLETD VAROUS TURNING MANEUVERS. HE STATED THAT THE FUEL SEL WAS IN THE LEFT MAIN POSITION AND ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE 18 GALS IN THAT TANK, 25 GALS IN THE RIGHT TANK,5 GALS IN THE LEFT TIP TANK AND 1 GAL IN THE RIGHT TIP TANK. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE TIP TANKS HAD PURPOSELY NOT BEEN REFUELED RECENTLY BECAUSE THE OWNERS WANTED TO BURN OFF WHAT WAS LEFT IN THEM IN ORDER TO SERVICE THEM. DURING THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING THE MAIN GEAR WERE SHEARED OFF AND THE TIP TANKS WERE RUPTURED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_LAX84FA118.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Beyond the agency record

Search this event elsewhere.

Pre-filled searches into the sources where news + community discussion of aviation events lives. External sources are reported, not agency. Treat them as signal that something happened, not as fact about what happened.

TallyAero Live Wire Aviation press

Entity-clustered aviation events in the press — last 24 hr + 30-day archive.

NTSB CAROL Agency ↗

Official agency record + docket.

NTSB Docket Agency ↗

Investigative docket: factual reports, photos, transcripts.

Aviation Safety Network Aviation press ↗

Long-running aviation incident database (Flight Safety Foundation).

Kathryn's Report Aviation press ↗

Community NTSB synthesis blog — often has photos and witness reports.

Aviation Herald Aviation press ↗

Gold-standard aviation incident blog.