Desert Center Airport, Desert Center, CA

Location: Desert Center Airport is located in the Colorado Desert, 5 miles north east of Desert Center, California.

History:  Desert Center was started in 1921 by "Desert Steve' Ragsdale, an itinerant preacher and cotton farmer from Arkansas.  On a business trip from Phoenix to Los Angeles, his vehicle broke down and a prospector named Bill Gruendyke came to Steve's aid.  Ragsdale completed his business trip and on the way home, he bought out Gruendyke and moved his family to the desert location.

They built a lean to for a repair garage, fixed up a Model T truck as a tow truck and went into business.  They sold gasoline, pumped by hand from a 55 gallon drum and Steve's wife Lydia served food and refreshments to passersby.

The Ragsdale's business grew and when the hi-way went through about 5 miles north (US route 60) they moved with the road and built a poured concrete cafe with an attached gas station and service garage.  A market, camping equipment store and post office completed the new "Desert Center", followed by cabins, and a swimming pool.

About 1950 Steve left his town in disgrace and his son eventually bought the property and took over operation of Desert Center.

Desert Center Airport Today:  Not attended; Privately owned; Last public us in 1992;



Airport Services and Amenities:  Tie-downs available; Food within 3 miles;

Special Events and Attractions: Lake Tararisks;

Airport Area Accident History:

Accident occurred Monday, May 01, 2006 in Desert Center, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/29/2007
Aircraft: Robinson R44 Raven II, registration: C-FICL
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
The Canadian certificated commercial helicopter pilot was conducting a cross-country delivery flight with a non-rated passenger occupying the copilot seat. The passenger and pilot together had previously made delivery flights from the Robinson factory to Canada. Two witnesses saw the helicopter just before it impacted the ground and reported that the tail boom had separated from the fuselage. No witnesses were identified who saw the initial breakup sequence. Both main rotor blades were bent downward at significant angles, with one blade having penetrated the cabin on the right side with a downward slicing front to rear arc. The primary wreckage debris field was approximately 500 feet long on an easterly heading. The helicopter sustained damage consistent with a high-energy, fuselage level, vertical ground impact. Detailed post accident investigation of the engine, the airframe, and the control systems disclosed no evidence of any preimpact anomalies. The removable cyclic was installed on the left side copilot's position, contrary to manufacturer's recommendations when a non-rated passenger is seated in the left seat. The removable pedals and collective for the left side were not installed. The cyclic controls for both the pilot's and copilot's positions were broken from their respective mounting points. The copilot's cyclic grip exhibited inward crushing. The Safety Board adopted a Special Investigation Report on April 2, 1996, following the investigation into R22 and R44 accidents involving loss of main rotor control and divergence of the main rotor disk, which included a finding that the cause of the loss of main rotor control in many of the accidents "most likely stems from a large, abrupt pilot control input to a helicopter that is highly responsive to cyclic control inputs. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: a loss of control and the divergence of the main rotor blade system from its normal rotational path for undetermined reasons. ===
Accident occurred Thursday, February 03, 2005 in Desert Center, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 5/30/2006
Aircraft: Cessna 172M, registration: N472RA
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
The airplane nosed over during an attempted landing on a dry lake bed. During a cross-country instructional flight, the instructor attempted to demonstrate an off airport, soft field landing on a dry lakebed. The instructor had not previously planned to land on the dry lakebed and had no information as to the condition of the landing surface. The landing surface was softer than the instructor anticipated. During the touchdown, the main landing gear sank into the sand, and the airplane nosed over. The instructor stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The instructor's improper decision to land on the dry lakebed without knowing the condition of the landing surface. A factor in the accident was the soft sand surface of the lake bed. ===
Accident occurred Thursday, February 24, 2000 in DESERT CENTER, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 7/17/2001
Aircraft: Beech 35, registration: N5127C
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
The pilot departed Wickenberg, Arizona, for a flight to Lompoc, California. The pilot said he planned on an intermediate stop near Twentynine Palms, California, to purchase fuel. According to the pilot, he had topped the airplane off with an estimated 35 gallons of fuel prior to the flight. He took off on the left fuel tank and then switched to the right tank. He said he remembered looking at the right fuel tank and saw it was bouncing from 1/4 tank to nearly empty. He said he was about 40 miles east of his intended intermediate destination when the engine suddenly quit. He switched tanks back to the left tank and attempted to restart the engine, without success. He told investigators that he noticed the right tank going dry fast but elected to continue the flight. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right tank had about 3 ounces of fuel in it and the left tank was nearly full. The engine was run after the accident with no abnormalities noted. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's inadequate fuel management, his inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, and his improper use of the fuel selector.


Desert Center Airport Approach / Landing:  Not Available at this time;