Piper PA-32-300 accident near Goleta, California, July 21, 1984
On July 21, 1984 at about 7:34 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N8632N, was destroyed in an accident near Goleta, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were 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
- July 21, 1984 · about 7:34 pm local time
- Place
- Goleta, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N8632N · no longer on the register · serial 7140025
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RADIOED TO THE SANTA BARBARA TOWER THAT HE WAS 'WITHOUT POWER' & WAS GOING TO ATTEMPT TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. HOWEVER, DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES APRX 50 FT SHORT OF THE FIELD. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE FUEL DIAPHRAM STEM, PN 2539806, IN THE FUEL INJECTOR HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE, AD 83-22-04, AMENDMENT 39-4748, THAT PERTAINED TO THIS PART, HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH ON THE PREVIOUS 100 HOUR INSPECTION.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 9, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K15A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRB Paso Robles CA at 6:37 pm
- Destination: OXR Oxnard CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:34 pm from SBA, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.