Piper PA-23-160 accident near Garberville, California, July 28, 1984
On July 28, 1984 at about 6:10 am local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N4291P, was destroyed in an accident near Garberville, 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
- July 28, 1984 · about 6:10 am local time
- Place
- Garberville, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4291P · registry record · serial 23-1791
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & GROUND DURING CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF ON A DARK NIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE WX IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR SINCE THE WX WAS VMC AT THE TIME & PLACE OF THE ACCIDENT. IT WAS A MOONLESS NIGHT AND THE AREAOF THE CRASH SUGGESTED THE FLT PATH WAS DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH DESTINATION BUT OVER RISING TERRAIN. THE ACFT BY VIRTUE OFITS LOCATION WAS FOLLOWING A NORMAL FLT PROFILE AND NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO SUGGEST ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. RELATIVES OF THE PLT LOCATED THE WRECKAGE BY AERIAL SEARCH ON 8/22/84 AT THE 2900 FT LEVEL (MSL) OF A 3101 FT MOUNTAIN APRX 5 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE ARPT ON A MAGNETIC BEARING OF 120 DEGREES. THE CRASH & POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED ALL POSSIBILITIES OF TOXICOLOGICAL ANALYSIS. THE PLT HAS FLOWN THIS ROUTE AT NIGHT SEVERAL TIMES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1984; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 016 Garberville CA at 5:55 am
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 am from ACV, 60 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.