Piper 28-151 accident near Los Gatos, California, January 29, 1982
On January 29, 1982 at about 2:20 am local time, a Piper 28-151, registered N32678, was destroyed in an accident near Los Gatos, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- January 29, 1982 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Los Gatos, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper 28-151
- Registration
- N32678 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7815013
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PREPARED TO DEPART ON A SCHEDULED COURIER RUN IN A PIPER PA-32, BUT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE. AFTER CONSULTING WITH COMPANY PERSONNEL, HE RENTED A PIPER PA-28-151, TRANSFERRED THE CARGO AND DEPARTED MONTEREY, CA ON A FLIGHT TO OAKLAND, CA. AFTER DEPARTING THE MONTEREY TRSA, HE CONTINUED WITH NO FAA FLIGHT PLAN. ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN LOCATED WITHIN THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS, CA. RESIDENTS IN THE AREA REPORTED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS FROM 20 TO 50 FT AND THAT THE BRANCHES OF THE TALL TREES COULD NOT BE SEEN WITH THE AID OF A FLASHLIGHT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT ENGINE OR AIRFRAME FAILURES. THE CRASH SITE WAS WITHIN ONE MILE FROM A COURSE LINE BETWEEN THE MONTEREY AND OAKLAND AIRPORTS. THE OPERATOR HAD NOT RECEIVED APPROVAL TO USE THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT IN ITS SCHEDULED AIR TAXI OERATION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,750 hours in all; 330 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,890 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Monterey CA
- Destination: Oakland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast at 20 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.