Piper PA 38-112 accident near San Martin, California, September 20, 1983
On September 20, 1983 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA 38-112, registered N2315V, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Martin, California (South County 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1983 · about 3:45 pm local time · cases in 1983
- Place
- San Martin, California · South County · cases near this airport · map
- 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
- N2315V · registry record · serial 38-82A0085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FLARED THE AIRCRAFT AND MADE A NORMAL FULL STALL LANDING. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED. SUBSEQUENT HARDNESS TESTS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR ATTACH BOLTS REVEALED THAT ALL BOTHS MET OR EXCEEDED THEIR RESPECTIVE SPECIFIED MINIMUM TENSILE STREGTHS. THE LOGBOOK CONTAINED AN ENTRY DATED 8/21/83 THAT NOTED REPAIRS MADE TO THE LANDING GEAR DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY PORPOISING DURING A LANDING SEQUENCE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 703 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 11,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 790 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1983; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: 2 Genes Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,100 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N2315V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2315V on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-38 Tomahawk 442 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,839 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C 84 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,094 in the last ten years
- California 28,279 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2315V 3 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX83LA451.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.