Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near San Carlos, California, July 31, 1982
On July 31, 1982 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N2090W, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Carlos, California (San Carlos airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- July 31, 1982 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Carlos, California · San Carlos
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N2090W · no longer on the register · serial 28R-79180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING AT THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT TAXIED TO THE TRANSIENT PARKING AREA, PARKED AND GOT A CUP OF COFFEE. HE STATED THAT HE THEN MADE A QUICK PREFLIGHT CHECK, BUT DID NOT VISUALLY INSPECT THE FUEL TANKS. DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PUSHED ALL LEVERS FORWARD, CHECKED THE FUEL PUMP WAS ON AND SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK, BUT THIS HAD NO EFFECT. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND REACCOMPLISHED HIS EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, BUT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SURGE. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON A ROUGH/ERODED SHORELINE. DURING THE LANDING, THE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE WERE DAMAGED. ABOUT 20 GAL OF FUEL WERE REMAINING IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK, BUT ONLY ABOUT 1/2 GAL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 777 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 622 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,921 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Iasco Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: San Carlos CA at 11:29 am
- Destination: San Carlos CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- 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.