Piper PA-28-140 accident near Big Bear Lake, California, April 6, 2003
On April 6, 2003 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8719N, was destroyed in an accident near Big Bear Lake, California (Big Bear City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate decision regarding a departure route and his failure to maintain clearance with rapidly rising mountainous terrain. A factor in the accident was the pilot's impairment by the effects of exposure to marijuana within the 10-hour period prior to the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2003 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear Lake, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8719N · no longer on the register · serial 28-25624
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted steep mountainous terrain while climbing after departure approximately 5 miles to the southwest of the departure airport. The airport was surrounded by 7,600-foot to 8,000-foot mountain ridges to the north, south, and east. To the west was a 6-mile-long lake ending in a dam and then a descending valley. Weather was clear skies with winds from the southwest at 6 knots. The pilot flew a southwestern departure route from the airport that crossed rugged mountainous terrain within 5 miles of the airport. This route was not the departure route recommended by the Big Bear City Airport; however, this pilot had recommended this route to at least one other pilot he had flown with in the past. The pilot misjudged the altitude required to cross these mountains and collided with terrain. No preaccident anomalies were noted with the airplane or engine. Toxicology lab results indicated that the pilot had been exposed to marijuana within the 10 hours prior to the flight. Medical analysis indicated that the pilot may have been somewhat impaired by the affects of marijuana, but it is unclear what role such impairment might have played in the decision making that set the stage for this accident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,194 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 1,087 as pilot in command; 90 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 2, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,985 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2002; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L35 Big Bear Lake CA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.