Accident Summary
On July 8, 2011, at approximately 1315 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22-108, registration N4901Z, nosed over during an off-airport precautionary landing near Frazier Park, California. The pilot, who was also the owner, operated the airplane under Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage from impact forces. The personal cross-country flight originated from Los Banos, California, around 1030, with a planned destination of Lompoc, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed.
Pilot Narrative
The pilot reported that he had been following Interstate 5 before turning west to intercept Highway 166 toward Santa Maria. He perceived that the airplane was losing lift and decided to land in a dry river bottom. During the landing roll, the nose wheel dug into soft dirt, causing the airplane to nosed over.
In a subsequent statement, the pilot indicated that he was flying approximately 1,000 feet above the mountainous terrain. He believed the engine was running normally but was not producing adequate power to maintain altitude. The mixture was set to the full rich position; he did not lean the mixture and did not recall using carburetor heat. Concentrating on the terrain rather than direction, he chose to make an off-airport landing. He circled a road but felt uncomfortable landing on it and instead opted for the adjacent dry river bottom.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff's incident report, the pilot told the responding deputy that he became lost and disoriented over Lockwood Valley while using maps and a GPS for navigation. The pilot stated that the engine began to fail and that he attempted an emergency landing when the engine finally quit. He tried to land on Lockwood Valley Road but was unable, ultimately landing in the river bed.
Postaccident Examination
Investigators examined the wreckage on July 11, 2011, at Aircraft Recovery Service in Littlerock, California. Detailed examination notes are part of the public docket. The postaccident inspection of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.