Piper PA-28-180 accident near Pauma Valley, California, August 25, 2003
On August 25, 2003 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N15285, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pauma Valley, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall. The rising terrain was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2003 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pauma Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N15285 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7305050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with terrain during a low altitude maneuver. The purpose of the flight was for the passenger to take photographs. The elevation in the area was 1,400 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot descended to 2,000 feet msl, slowed to 90 miles per hour (mph), and extended the flaps 10 degrees. During a turn with about 15 degrees angle of bank, the airplane lost 200 feet of altitude. He immediately rolled out of the turn, added full power, and encountered rising terrain. He began looking for a place to descend in order to "pick up some airspeed." A flat spot in a canyon was observed and he proceeded toward that area at 60 mph. After the pilot maneuvered around a house and power lines, the airplane impacted an oak tree, and came to rest inverted. The pilot's conclusion of the accident was that he was operating the airplane too low and allowed himself to become trapped in a canyon with rising terrain. No mechanical malfunctions were noted with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,650 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.