Piper PA-24-250 accident near Corona, California, February 9, 1985
On February 9, 1985 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8898, was destroyed in an accident near Corona, California (Corona Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- February 9, 1985 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Corona, California · Corona Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8898 · no longer on the register · serial 3171
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER REFUELING, THE ACFT TOOK OFF & LOST PWR AT 150 FT TO 200 FT AGL. THE ACFT STRUCK TREES WHILE IN A STEEPENING LEFT BANK & CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE ARPT. NO CONTAMINANTS OR WATER WERE FOUND EITHER IN THE ACFT'S FUEL SYSTEM OR IN THE FUEL SOURCE. CONTINUITY WAS ASCERTAINED FOR FLIGHT CONTROLS, THE ENGINE, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CARBURETOR WAS FRACTURED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND ON THE RIGHT TANK BUT AN IMPRINT OF THE POINTER WAS FOUND IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. THE PLT HAD NO MEMORY BEYOND REFUELING. TESTS CONDUCTED IN A SIMILAR ACFT WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE 'OFF' POSITION WERE INCONCLUSIVE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,602 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,612 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1984; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L66 Corona CA
- Destination: TOA Torrance CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from CNO, 5 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.