Douglas DC3 accident near Perris, California, May 5, 1985
On May 5, 1985 at about 2:20 am local time, a Douglas DC3, registered N157U, was destroyed in an accident near Perris, California (Perris Valley airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125). No one was hurt; 33 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
- May 5, 1985 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Perris, California · Perris Valley
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 33 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC3 · all DC3s on the register
- Registration
- N157U · registry record · serial 4132
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE PILOT MANAGED TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY AND ALL 31 SKYDIVERS AND THE TWO MEMBER CREW EVACUATED WITHOUT INJURY. THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER HAD LOST ONE BLADE WHICH WAS FOUND SEVERAL DAYS LATER 3000 FEET WEST OF THE WRECKAGE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND TO SUBSTANTIATE COMPLIANCE WITH A MANDATORY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON THE PROPELLER BLADE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 42,950 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 1, 1985; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1820-GC (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,000 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from RIV, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 31 |
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.