Piper PA-22 accident near West Covina, California, May 7, 1984
On May 7, 1984 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N9718D, was destroyed in an accident near West Covina, California. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- May 7, 1984 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- West Covina, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N9718D · no longer on the register · serial 225530
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RETURNING TO THE ARPT & TOWING A BANNER, SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT & A SMALL FIRE BEGAN BURING, FORWARD OF THE LEFT/LOWER PART OF THE FIREWALL. THE PLT TURNED THE ACFT TO LAND IN A FIELD. HE OPENED THE RIGHT CABING DOOR, ALL AIR VENTS & THE WINDOW ON THE LEFT SIDE, BUT THE FIRE & SMOKE BECAME WORSE. HE RELEASED THE BANNER IN AN OPEN FIELD & SLIPPED THE ACFT TO IMPROVE HIS ABILITY TO SEE DURING THE LANDING. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR FAILED & THE ACFT NOSED OVER & BURNED. THE PLT EXITED THE ACFT WITHOUT INJURIES, BUT WAS TREATED FOR SMOKE INHALATION. EVIDENCE OF AN INFLT FIRE WAS FOUND WHERE THE FUEL LINE WAS ROUTED IN THE AREA JUST FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL & THE PLT'S LEFT RUDDER PEDAL. THE FUEL STRAINER & SOME FUEL LINE CONNECTORS WERE LOCATED IN THIS AREA. THEY WERE NOT BURNED, BUT THEY HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO HEAT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 627 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 554 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,014 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1984; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:25 pm from CNO, 12 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.