Piper PA-34-200T accident near Fontana, California, August 19, 1982
On August 19, 1982 at about 9:10 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N24MF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fontana, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
- August 19, 1982 · about 9:10 am local time
- Place
- Fontana, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N24MF · registry record · serial 34-807007L
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROXIMATELY 5 HRS AFTER TAKEOFF THE PLT CONTACTED ONTARIO TOWER & REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO THE ARPT BECAUSE HE HAD AN ENG OUT. AFTER SWITCHING TO APPROACH CONTROL THE PLT BEGAN RECEIVING VECTORS TO THE ARPT. AT 0209 THE PLT ADVISED A/C THAT HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A BACK LOT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA ABOUT 9 MI EAST OF ONTARIO ARPT. INITIAL RADAR IDENTIFICATION WAS MADE APPROXIMATELY 22 MI EAST OF ONTARIO ARPT WITHIN 4 MI OF TWO ARPTS. AT NO TIME DID THE PLT TELL A/C THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL.
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
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 359 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 935 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,510 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Missoula MT at 9:00 pm
- Destination: Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N24MF 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.