Piper PA-28-180 accident near Anza, California, June 13, 2004
On June 13, 2004 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9009J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anza, California (Lake Riverside Estates airport). 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 misjudged altitude and speed, which resulted in an undershoot and a collision with a berm. Also causal was the control interference from the passenger.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2004 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Anza, California · Lake Riverside Estates · 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
- N9009J · registry record · serial 28-3035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed hard and short of the runway, impacting a berm, then became airborne briefly before colliding with multiple obstacles. The pilot-rated passenger was flying the airplane and overshot the final approach course. The pilot took over the control of the airplane and continued the approach at 75 knots with one notch of flaps extended. The pilot said that while on short final, the airplane "experienced a severe downdraft" that pushed the airplane to the ground. The airplane landed short of the runway and impacted a berm, after which the pilot intended to keep the airplane on the ground and stop. During the hard landing, the pilot-rated passenger grabbed the controls, applied full power, and pulled aft on the control yoke in an attempt to abort the landing. As the pilot fought with the passenger for the controls, the airplane experienced a "power on stall" and drifted to the left before impacting the ground again multiple times. The pilot reduced engine power and stopped the airplane. The weather observation facilities closest to the accident airport reported the wind between 8 and 11 knots. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane and engine prior to the 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 262 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 195 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 16, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 488 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,049 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2004; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 54CL Anza CA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: Anza CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PSP, 24 miles away
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.