Event LAX97LA128

Factual narrative

On March 15, 1997, at 1030 hours Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N7163R, experienced a loss of power and made a forced landing in an open field 3 miles east of the Santa Barbara, California, Muni Airport. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the pilot/owner, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight. The flight originated from the Petaluma, California, airport at approximately 0900 on the day of the accident, and the flight was scheduled to terminate in Baja, Mexico. The pilot was not issued a certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration. He did possess a third class medical, issued on September 22, 1992, but it had been expired for 3 1/2 years at the time of the accident. Witnesses to the accident reported that they "heard the aircraft having engine trouble and then [heard the engine] stop. The pilot was having difficulty with trying to maintain control of the aircraft. When the aircraft reached the field the pilot attempted to land but hit [a berm] which caused the aircraft to 'nose in.' " The witnesses stated that they went to the aid of the pilot who was exiting the aircraft unassisted, and that the pilot seemed confused and upset. According to a Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputy responding to the accident, the pilot stated that he had contacted Santa Barbara Tower and requested in-flight refueling from a helicopter, but that Tower refused his request. The sheriff stated that the pilot seemed incoherent and was involuntarily placed in a psychiatric ward for a required 72-hour observation period. Narcotics [marijuana] were found onboard the aircraft, but no drug testing was conducted. During the initial investigation on scene, the fire battalion chief made contact with a relative of the pilot who informed him that the pilot is a ". . .manic depressive and has been having severe mental problems lately. [The relative] also indicated that he has been drinking heavily and has been using street drugs regularly." The pilot was involuntarily admitted for psychiatric evaluation from March 15, 1997 to March 19, 1997, in Ventura, California. The attending psychiatrist stated that the reason for admission was that after crashing his airplane the pilot exhibited ". . .elevated/expansive and somewhat irritable mood. . . ." The pilot received medical attention for injuries received in the accident. On March 19, 1997, the pilot was discharged. According to an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector from the Van Nuys, California, Flight Standards District Office, no fuel was found onboard or in the vicinity of the wreckage. The FAA inspector further reported that the pilot had entered Class C airspace with no authorization or communication from the Santa Barbara Control Tower, and proceeded to over-fly the airport before running out of fuel and crashing. According to an FAA inspector, an aircraft entered Santa Barbara's Class C airspace without authorization or communication from the control tower and proceeded to over-fly the airport. Subsequently, it crashed 3 miles east of the airport. A sheriff's deputy responded to the scene of the accident and reported that the pilot had requested in-flight refueling from the control tower. The sheriff's deputy also stated that the pilot was incoherent. The pilot was then involuntarily admitted for psychiatric observation. A subpoena was issued for the evaluation and discharge summary of the pilot. The attending psychiatrist reported that the pilot had a bipolar disorder. The pilot did not possess an FAA pilot certificate. He did, however, possess a third-class medical, issued on September 22, 1992, but it had been expired for 3 1/2 years at the time of the accident. The FAA inspector reported that no fuel was found onboard or in the vicinity of the wreckage, and that no preexisting anomalies were found. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12