Piper PA-28-140 accident near Yucaipa, California, August 27, 1984
On August 27, 1984 at about 5:24 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N15699, was destroyed in an accident near Yucaipa, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 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
- August 27, 1984 · about 5:24 pm local time
- Place
- Yucaipa, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N15699 · no longer on the register · serial 7325138
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED WITH ITS' WING DIPPING AS IT FLEW LOW OVER A VALLEY. THE ACFT THEN TOUCHED DOWN IN A FLD, COLLIDEDWITH A BOULDER AND A TRACTOR TRAILER. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS 6 MILES EAST OF THE DEPARTURE ARPT. THE TERRAIN BETWEEN THE ARPT AND THE ACCIDENT SITE SLOPES UP 6 DEG. ARPT ELEV 1572 FT, DENSITY ALT 4000 FT. ACCIDENT SITE ELEV 2650 FT, DENSITY ALT 5100 FT. OAT 90 DEG AND FLAPS EXTENDED DOWN 10 DEG.
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: 175 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 128 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,339 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 1983; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: L12 Redlands CA at 5:10 pm
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.