Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Redlands, California, January 27, 1983
On January 27, 1983 at about 6:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N8139D, was destroyed in an accident near Redlands, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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 27, 1983 · about 6:48 pm local time
- Place
- Redlands, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8139D · registry record · serial 801341
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0638 PST, THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING ON A FLT TO SACRAMENTO, CA, AND WAS ADVISED THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. AT 0800, HE RECEIVED ANOTHER BRIEFING & FILED A VFR FLT PLAN TO PALM SPRINGS, CA. DURING FLT, HE ADVISED PALM SPRINGS TOWER THAT IF HE COULD GET THRU THE WX, HE INTENDED TO CONTINUE ON TO SACRAMENTO. RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST APRX 7 MI WEST OF THE ARPT AT 2500 FT MSL. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS BEGUN; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT FOUND UNTIL 9/13/83. THE ACFT WAS FOUND BY HIKERS APRX 15 MI NORTHWEST OF REDLANDS , CA AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 6600 FT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD CRASHED IN AN INVERTED, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. MOUNTAIN TOPS IN THE AREA RANGED FROM 10,831 TO 11,502 FT MSL. CLOUD BASES WERE REPORTED AT 2700 FT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S LOG BOOK, HE HAD FLOWN 5 HRS IN 1974, 1.4 HRS IN 1982 & 11.7 HRS IN 1983. THE CFI THAT CHECKED HIM OUT IN THE ACFT NOTED THAT IFR FLT WAS NOT RCMDD TIL HE RECEIVED MORE DUAL INSTRUCTION.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 767 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 12 in the last 30 days; 357 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 750 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1982; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 2:50 pm
- Destination: SMF Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:28 pm from SBD, 10 miles away
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.
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.