Piper PA-28-235 accident near Big Bear City, California, August 8, 2005
On August 8, 2005 at about 7:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N8540W, was destroyed in an accident near Big Bear City, California (Big Bear City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and adequate airspeed while executing an evasive maneuver during an aborted landing, which resulted in a cross-controlled accelerated stall and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the probable presence of another aircraft on the runway traveling in the opposite direction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2005 · about 7:58 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8540W · no longer on the register · serial 28-10041
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane made a sudden steep turn to the right, rolled inverted, and impacted the ground just after the landing flare. Witnesses observed the airplane make a normal landing approach to runway 08 and flare. The engine suddenly went to full power, the nose pitched up, and the plane abruptly turned to the right. It then continued to roll right and impacted the ground inverted at the south edge of the airport boundary. The airplane's sudden turn and right roll is consistent with the result of a cross-control stall to the right, as described by the Airplane Flying Handbook. Two witnesses stated that they saw an airplane takeoff from runway 26 (in the opposite direction) moments after the crash. Approximately 5 minutes after the accident radar data identified a contact 2 miles east of the airport, traveling at 85 knots, departing the vicinity. Four minutes would be the approximate amount of time required for an airplane traveling at 85 knots to perform a downwind departure from the airport and appear on radar 2 miles to the east, if it followed the approximate 5.5-mile downwind departure route. Radar coverage to pattern altitude was not possible due to the mountainous terrain in which the airport is located. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of a preimpact malfunction or failure of the control system or power plant.
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: 534 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 475 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,177 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KHND Las Vegas NV at 6:30 pm
- Destination: KL35 Big Bear City CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from KL35
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.