NTSB LAX87LA115 — 1987-02-09 · TULARE, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N7498J

Make / Model: PIPER PA-28R-180
Year of manufacture: 1968 · 19 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19680724
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AA1772

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N7498J Piper PA-28R-180 None

Factual narrative

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND WHILE THE RUNWAY AND VASI APPROACH LIGHTS WERE OFF. THE NIGHT WAS DARK AND HE INADVERTENTLY LANDED ON A ROADWAY PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE WHEN THE ROAD CAME TO A DEAD END ADJACENT TO THE NEAR MIDFIELD POINT ON THE RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY AND APPROACH LIGHTS AT THE AIRPORT ARE RADIO CONTROLLED. DURING A TELEPHONIC INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID HE HAD NEVER USED THE RADIO PROCEDURES TO ILLUMINATE RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS NOT VALID FOR NIGHT FLIGHT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_LAX87LA115.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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