Piper PA-28-181 accident near Garberville, California, April 28, 1985
On April 28, 1985 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8273L, was destroyed in an accident near Garberville, California (Shelter Cove airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 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 28, 1985 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Garberville, California · Shelter Cove
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8273L · no longer on the register · serial 288190048
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ACFT DEPARTED SHELTER COVE, ELEVATION 69 FT, AND HEADED EAST TOWARD A 2000 FT HIGH MOUNTAIN LOCATED 1 3/4 MILES AWAY. THEY CONTINUED TO REPORT THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING AT A SLOW RATE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN AND CONTINUED OVER THE CREST INTO A CANYON WHERE IT CAME TO REST INVERTED. WITNESSES STATED THAT AFTER DEPARTING SHELTER COVE MOST PLTS FLY WEST OVER THE OCEAN TO GAIN ALT BEFORE TURNING EAST TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS.
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: 200 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 164 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,357 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 25, 1985; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Rivercity Air Charter
The flight
- Departed from: 0Q5 Shelter Cove CA at 8:55 pm
- Destination: SAC Sacramanto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.