Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Fair Oaks, California, June 18, 1984
On June 18, 1984, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4634J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fair Oaks, California (Phoenix Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- June 18, 1984
- Place
- Fair Oaks, California · Phoenix Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4634J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT TOUCHED DOWN BEYOND THE THRESHOLD AT A NORMAL AIRSPEED. PLT RAISED THE FLAPS AND APPLIED BRAKES BUT THE LEFT BRAKE BOTTOMED OUT WITH NO RESISTANCE. AN INTENTIONAL GROUND LOOP WAS PERFORMED TO STOP THE ACFT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ALLTHE BRAKE PADS WERE WORN DOWN PAST THE MINIMUM SERVICE LIMITS. THE 'O' RING SEAL IN THE LEFT BRAKE CALIPER POPPED OUT, HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS RELEASED AND THE BRAKE BECAME NONFUNCTIONAL.
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: 113 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 82 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,593 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 27, 1983; 129 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 011 Fair Oaks CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 011 Fair Oaks CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,590 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4634J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.