Piper PA-28R-200 accident near San Diego, California, October 23, 1983
On October 23, 1983 at about 2:17 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N5021S, was destroyed in an accident near San Diego, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- October 23, 1983 · about 2:17 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5021S · no longer on the register · serial 28R35755
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING NORTH ISLAND NAS (NAVAL AIR STATION), THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE FREQUENCIES, BUT THE MEGAHERTZ (MHZ) TUNING KNOB CAME OFF AT A SETTING OF 122.1 MHZ. HE COULD STILL USE THE KNOB FOR TUNING TENTHS OF A MHZ, SO HE CONTACTED SAN DIEGO FSS ON 122.1 MHZ & ADVISED OF HIS SITUATION. HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT VIOLATING THE MEXICAN BORDER & NEARBY CONTROL AREAS & WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HEAVY NAVY JET TRAFFIC AT THE NAS AS WELL. THEREFORE, THE PLT ASKED THE FSS TO OBTAIN CLEARANCE FOR HIM TO RETURN TO NORTH ISLAND FOR LANDING. IN THE MEANTIME, THE PLT FLEW OUT OVER THE OCEAN TO WAIT FOR A CLEARANCE. WHEN THE CLEARANCE WAS RECEIVED, HE TURNED THE ACFT TO PROCEED TOWARD NORTH ISLAND & BEGAN HIS PRELANDING CHECKS. HE ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN WITH THE GEAR DOWN & THE LANDING LIGHT ON. HE FELT CERTAIN THAT HE WAS AT ABOUT 1000 FT ABOVE THE SURFACE, BUT AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE WATER. THE OCCUPANTS EGRESSED FROM THE ACFT BEFORE IT SANK & WERE PICKED UP BY A FISHING BOAT, HRS LATER. THERE WAS FOG, HAZE & 2 MI VIS SW OF NORTH ISLAND.
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, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 447 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 182 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,912 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1983; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North Island Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: NZY San Diego CA at 2:00 am
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from NZY, 5 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.