Piper PA-38-112 accident near Fullerton, California, February 4, 1984
On February 4, 1984 at about 1:04 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N91522, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fullerton, California (Fullerton 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
- February 4, 1984 · about 1:04 am local time
- Place
- Fullerton, California · Fullerton
- 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
- N91522 · no longer on the register · serial 38-82A0086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ENGINE LOST POWER DURING A GO AROUND FOLLOWING A LONG POWER-OFF GLIDE DURING WHICH CARBURETOR HEAT WAS NOT USED. DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT CULTIVATED FIELD THE ACFT NOSE WHEEL' DUG IN' AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE WEATHERREPORT INDICATED CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS. THE CFI DID NOT OBTAIN A FORMAL WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,484 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,330 as pilot in command; 380 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: General Aviation Company
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 3,120 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:04 am from FUL
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.