Piper PA-34-200 accident near Upland, California, June 4, 2007
On June 4, 2007 at about 5:22 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N4463T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Upland, California (Cable airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot under instruction to maintain the minimum single engine control airspeed (air) and directional control while turning to final approach. Also causal was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial actions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2007 · about 5:22 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · Cable
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4463T · no longer on the register · serial 34-7250102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) was providing multiengine instruction to the pilot. They were in the traffic pattern, approximately 800 feet above ground level (agl), after completing several touch-and-go landings. The CFI stated that his regular method for setting up practice engine-out landings for a student was to close the mixture, allow the student to go through the process of controlling the airplane, and simulating the procedures to feather the inoperative engine's propeller. The instructor would then return the mixture to full rich, and verify engine operation. This would occur on downwind, and then the landing would be completed with the simulated inoperative engine at idle. On downwind, the instructor closed the mixture on the left engine. During this maneuver, the pilot turned the airplane left from base to final and the airspeed decreased. The airplane rolled sharply to the left and lost altitude. The instructor reduced both throttles and regained control of the airplane just as it collided with the roof of one house, bounced across another roof, and came to rest on top of a third house. The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that in-flight simulated engine failures at altitudes below 3,000 feet agl be introduced only by reduction of the throttle. Post-crash inspection of the engine and airframe found no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,219 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 4,116 as pilot in command; 2,659 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 212 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 135 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,704 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LIO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: CCB Upland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,864 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from ONT, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.