Piper PA-28-180 accident near Big Bear City, California, November 22, 2003
On November 22, 2003 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7292W, was destroyed in an accident near Big Bear City, California (Big Bear airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots inadequate preflight planning and intentional flight into known adverse weather conditions. Contributing to this accident was the fact that it was a dark night with no moon illumination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2003 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · Big Bear · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7292W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1136
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While flying on a moonless night in mountainous terrain to an airport in a mountain valley, the aircraft encountered mountain wave conditions and downdrafts in the 500 to 1,000 foot-per-minute range, which resulted in a collision with mountainous terrain. The two-man aircrew participated in a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) search and rescue training exercise (SAREX) being held over the weekend, and had flown from the mountain valley airport along the accident route of flight that morning. The CAP group was informed that high winds were expected the following day and flying operations might be cancelled. The aircrew decided to return to their home base in a small mountain town (elev: 6,748 feet) instead of staying at the SAREX base for the night. The aircrew had commented to the CAP Incident Commander that they had experienced some moderate turbulence on the flight out of the mountains severe enough to have their heads hit the cockpit canopy and toss a cell phone out of the passenger's shirt pocket. They departed the SAREX base at night and there was no moon illumination at the time they approached the 8,000-9,000 foot mountain ridgeline. The airplane approached the mountains at 10,300 feet, and shortly thereafter entered a mountain wave, and experienced turbulence and downdrafts. Radar data showed that the airplane steadily descended through 8,000 feet during the last 4 minutes of the flight. The airplane impacted the side of the mountain at the 6,970 foot elevation with low energy, in a very steep left turn; left wing down. Analysis of the weather conditions established that mountain wave conditions existed at 9,000 feet with a wavelength of 2.79 miles, amplitude of 717 feet, and a maximum vertical velocity of 1,185 fpm. This wave had a potential for moderate to severe turbulence. There is no record that the pilot requested or received a weather briefing. At the cruise altitude of the airplane, the performance charts show that it had a maximum climb capability of about 400 feet per minute.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,640 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 21, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,364 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A36A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 3:28 am
- Destination: L35 Big Bear City CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:20 am from L35, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.