Piper PA23-150 accident near San Diego, California, September 10, 1983
On September 10, 1983 at about 11:49 pm local time, a Piper PA23-150, registered N2180P, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Brown Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- September 10, 1983 · about 11:49 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Brown Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA23-150 · all PA23-150s on the register
- Registration
- N2180P · no longer on the register · serial 23789
- 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 PRACTICING TOUCH & GO LANDINGS. DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE 4TH TOUCH & GO, THE LEFT ENG LOST POWER WHILE CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 200 FT AGL. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE STUDENT SAW OIL COMING FROM THE LEFT ENG. THE CFI FEATHERED THE LEFT ENG, & AT THAT TIME, THE ACFT WAS VIBRATING & INDICATING 100 MPH. THE CFI LOWERED THE NOSE TO MAINTAIN THE BEST SINGLE ENG RATE OF CLIMB SPEED. HOWEVER, AT THAT SPEED, THE ACFT WAS IN A DESCENT. THE CFI CONTINUED OVER ROUGH TERRAIN TOWARD POWER LINES UNTIL HE REALIZED THE ACFT WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO FLY, THEN TURNED TO THE MOST SUITABLE TERRAIN & CRASH LANDED. AN EXAM OF THE LEFT ENG REVEALED A BROKEN OIL COOLER LINE. HOWEVER, 4 QTS OF OIL WAS STILL REMAINING & THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE LOSS OF OIL HAD CAUSED THE ENG FAILURE. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE HEAVILY SOOTED, WHICH WAS INDICATIVE OF AN EXTREMELY RICH MIXTURE. ROUGH SPOTS WERE FOUND ON THE CARBURETOR FLOAT CHAMBER NEEDLE VLV, WHICH REPORTEDLY COULD HAVE ALLOWED THE VLV TO STICK OPEN.
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
- Flight time: 1,008 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 808 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,368 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 1983; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 7,999 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:49 pm from SDM, 1 miles away
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.