Piper PA-34 accident near Near Sonoma, California, February 14, 1982
On February 14, 1982, a Piper PA-34, registered N8455Y, was destroyed in an accident near Near Sonoma, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1982
- Place
- Near Sonoma, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34 · all PA-34s on the register
- Registration
- N8455Y · no longer on the register · serial 82-33002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PROCEEDED VFR TOWARD A PRIVATE STRIP AFTER AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO NAPA COUNTY AIRPORT. THE VISIBILITY WAS NOT GOOD AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A HILLSIDE WHILE EN ROUTE. ABOUT 5 MI NORTH, THE WEATHER AT THE NAPA COUNTY AIRPORT WAS 500 FT OVERCAST, 1.5 MI VISIBILITY WITH FOG AND RAIN, WIND 100 DEG AT 6 KTS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 106 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Grass Valley CA at 2:15 pm
- Destination: San Rafael CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.