What happened
The flight originated at Hawthorne, California, with a destination of Delano, California. During the en route phase, the pilot became disoriented and lost track of position. Upon locating an airfield, the pilot executed a landing without realizing the location was actually Depue Airport in Lenwood, California.
After parking, the pilot discovered that no fuel was available at the remote facility. To continue the journey, the pilot decided to take off for Apple Valley, a distance of approximately 17 miles. Before reaching the destination, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The aircraft subsequently impacted a berm while attempting to land on desert terrain, resulting in significant damage.
The investigation
The investigation confirmed that the aircraft landed at an unprepared site lacking fuel services. The mechanical failure was directly linked to the depletion of fuel reserves during the unplanned diversion attempt from Lenwood to Apple Valley.
Findings
Contributing factors included the pilot's loss of navigation awareness and the decision to operate without adequate fuel reserves for a long-distance overland flight in desert terrain. The hard landing on uneven ground exacerbated the structural damage. The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury, while others were not injured. The aircraft involved was registered as N4238M.
Safety message
Pilots must ensure accurate navigation and verify fuel availability at alternate airports before committing to a diversion, especially in remote areas where support services are limited.