Piper PA-24-250 accident near Oceanside, California, November 25, 1983
On November 25, 1983 at about 4:05 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6295T, was destroyed in an accident near Oceanside, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 25, 1983 · about 4:05 am local time
- Place
- Oceanside, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6295T · no longer on the register · serial 24-1404
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING & WAS ADVISED TO EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS IN THE VICINITY OF OCEANSIDE, CA & THAT MODERATE TURBULENCE EXISTED BELOW 20,000 FT. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE OBTAINED AN IFR CLEARANCE TO CLIMB & CRUISE AT 6000 FT. AT ABOUT 2005 PST, ATC LOST RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. LATER, THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, ABOUT 1/5 MI FROM WHERE THE LAST TRANSPONDER REPLY WAS NOTED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED BOTH OUTER WING PANELS, THE RIGHT STABILATOR & THE VERTICAL STABILIZER HAD SEPARATED & WERE FOUND 130 TO 612 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. ALSO, THE REMAINDER OF THE EMPENNAGE HAD SEPARATE & WAS 31 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE & THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE FUSELAGE & ROTATING BEACON WERE 823 FT AWAY. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE MAIN WRECKAGE HAD IMPACTEDIN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT. ALL SEPARATED PARTS HAD EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD FAILURE. PERSONNEL NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED "SHAFTS OF HEAVY RAIN." AT APRX 2018, A CESSNA 210 PLT RPTD HEAVY RAIN ABOUT 1 MI NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,450 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 3,167 as pilot in command; 1,264 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,958 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1983; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Unlimited
The flight
- Departed from: SEE San Diego CA
- Destination: EMT El Monte CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded at 800 ft
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from CRQ, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.