Piper PA-38-112 accident near El Monte, California, April 20, 1982
On April 20, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N25660, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Monte, California (El Monte 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 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
- April 20, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- El Monte, California · El Monte
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N25660 · no longer on the register · serial 38-81-A-0042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON HIS FIRST APPROACH FOR LANDING, THE PILOT DECIDED THAT HE WAS TOO HIGH AND MADE A GO-AROUND. HE REPORTED THAT HIS SECOND APPROACH WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 5 FT AGL AT THE RUNWAY NUMBERS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE LEFT WING LIFTED AS IF THERE WAS A GUST OF WIND FROM THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT WING TIP TOUCHED THE GROUND. HE STATED THAT HE ADDED POWER TO CORRECT FOR A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO GAIN SPEED. BUT REPORTEDLY, THE RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE WHEELS STRUCK THE GROUND AND RUDDER CONTROL WAS LOST. HE THEN CUT THE POWER AND LANDED AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE. THE PILOT PR0VIDED NO SPECIFIC WIND INFORMATION.
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: 230 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 170 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 321 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Piper Air Center
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 10:30 am
- Destination: Plymouth NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 11,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N25660 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.