Piper PA-38-112 accident near Temecula, California, June 4, 1983
On June 4, 1983 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2334V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Temecula, California (Rancho California airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- June 4, 1983 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Temecula, California · Rancho California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2334V · no longer on the register · serial 38-82A0052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE ON A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLT IN PREPARATION FOR THE STUDENT'S 1ST SOLO FLT. AFTER RETURNING FROM FLT IN THE LOCAL AREA, THEY ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND ON RWY 12. DURING A FINAL APCH TO LAND, THE STUDENT FLEW THE ACFT TO CROSS OVER THE THRESHOLD AT ABOUT 3 FT AGL & LAND ABOUT 200 FT DOWN THE RWY. AS THE ACFT WAS CROSSING THE THRESHOLD, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUCK THE TOP 1 FT OF A MOUND OF DIRT. THE GEAR FAILED. DURING THE LANDING THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE CFI REPORTED THAT DURING DEPARTURE, THEY MADE AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF, AND THUS, DID NOT OBSERVE THE MOUND OF DIRT ADJACENT TO THE END OF THE RWY. THE CFI ALSO SAID THE MOUND WAS THE SAME COLOR AS THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN & WAS VIRTUALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE. MOUNDS OF DIRT HAD BEEN PLACED AROUND THE APCH END OF RWY 12 IN PREPARATION OF REPAIRS. THE MOUNDS WERE ABOUT 4 FT TALL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 78 in the last 90 days; 8,020 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 59 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1983; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airmech, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,465 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.