Piper PA-28-180 accident near Aguanga, California, May 25, 1983
On May 25, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4964L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aguanga, California (Lake Riverside airport). It was a personal 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
- May 25, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aguanga, California · Lake Riverside
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4964L · registry record · serial 28-4335
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH AN ABANDONED AUTO DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. THE PILOT SAID HE APPLIED FULL POWER DURING TAKEOFF AND ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 85 MPH AND ROTATED. AT ABOUT 15 FT AGL THE ENGINE SEEMED TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE DID NOT SPUTTER OR KNOCK IT JUST FAILED TO PRODUCE ITS CUSTOMARY POWER. THE PILOT THEN ABORTED HIS TAKEOFF AND LANDED IN AN OPEN AREA BESIDE THE RWY. DURING LANDING HIS RIGHT WING GRAZED AN UNOCCUPIED CAR. AFTER THE ACFT CAME TO REST THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AND THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ABLE TO TAXI BACK TO THE ARPT PARKING AREA. DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS MINOR. UPON EXAMINATION AND TESTING NO REASON COULD BE FOUND FOR THE ENGINE NOT TO OPERATE NORMALLY.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 132 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 76 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,735 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1983; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SEE San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.