Piper PA-28-235 accident near Castaic, California, April 21, 1985
On April 21, 1985 at about 8:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9406W, was destroyed in an accident near Castaic, 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
- April 21, 1985 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Castaic, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9406W · no longer on the register · serial 28-11112
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO MULTIPLE CLOUD LAYERS AND MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED THE FOLLOWING MORNING AT THE 3,500 FOOT ELEVATION IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
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: 178 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,239 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4135 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 068 Mariposa CA
- Destination: POC La Verne CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.