Piper PA 24-260 accident near Fontana, California, December 27, 1983
On December 27, 1983 at about 2:35 am local time, a Piper PA 24-260, registered N8761P, was destroyed in an accident near Fontana, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- December 27, 1983 · about 2:35 am local time
- Place
- Fontana, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 24-260 · all PA 24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8761P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4211
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A ELECTRICAL POWER LINE TOWER AT NIGHT DURING IMC WEATHER. THE TOWER WAS STRUCK AT 40 FT AGL. THEPLT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THIS FLT AND VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. WITESSES HEARD THE ACFT FLY OVER AT AN ESTIMATED 200-300 FT IN DENSE FOG AND RAIN. WITNESSES HEARD THE CRASH AND CALLED THE SHERIFF WHO RESPONDED AND FOUND THE WRECKAGE SCATTERED BELOW THE TOWER FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 300 FT. THE PLT DID NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT RATING.
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: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,025 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1983; 114 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CLX Calexico CA
- Destination: L67 Rialto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from ONT, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.