Piper PA-28-236 accident near Santa Paula, California, September 15, 1984
On September 15, 1984 at about 7:02 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N8279L, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. 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
- September 15, 1984 · about 7:02 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N8279L · no longer on the register · serial 288111012
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING RWY 22 AT SANTA PAULA ARPT, THE ACFT FLEW SW ALONG THE SANTA CLARA RIVER + STRUCK A TELEPHONE WIRE 2.6 SM FROM THE RWY END. WITNESSES SAW ACFT FLY LEVEL AT ABOUT 8O FT AGL WITH NORMAL POWER SOUNDS PRIOR TO WIRE CONTACT. THEWIRE STRIKE CAUSED THE INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE OUTBOARD LEFT WING PANEL AND THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A MARSHY PORTION OF THE RIVER BED ABOUT 450 FT BEYOND THE WIRE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 2,620 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 899 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1984; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O540J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SZP Santa Paula CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,650 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from OXR, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.