Piper PA-34-200T accident near Palo Alto, California, December 3, 1982
On December 3, 1982 at about 3:14 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8292Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- December 3, 1982 · about 3:14 am local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8292Y · no longer on the register · serial 34-8170032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 6 TO 10 FT AGL, SOMETHING HIT THE LEFT PROPELLER AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE. HE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING, BUT ASSUMED THE PLANE HAD STRUCK A LARGE BIRD. DARKNESS AND THE BAGGAGE DOOR WERE OBSTRUCTING THE PILOT'S VIEW. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH ABOUT 300 FT OF THE RUNWAY REMAINING. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE RUNWAY, WENT OVER A LOW MOUND AND DOWN A STEEP INCLINE INTO A MUDFLAT, THEN CAME TO REST IN ABOUT 12 TO 18 INCHES OF WATER. THE NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR WAS FOUND OPEN WITH THE LATCH LOCKED AND THE LOCKING MECHANISM IN THE LOCKED POSITION. NO EVIDENCE OF A BIRD STRIKE WAS FOUND.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 866 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 810 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 355 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cimarron Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 7:14 pm
- Destination: SLE Salem OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from PAO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.