Piper PA-28-140 accident near Healdsburg, California, March 3, 1985
On March 3, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8468R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Healdsburg, California (Healdsburg Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- March 3, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Healdsburg, California · Healdsburg Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8468R · no longer on the register · serial 28-22373
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PVT PLT & AN INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) WERE ON A BFR INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS FLT, THE PVT PLT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE PIC. THE CFI REPORTED THAT WHEN THE ACFT WAS AT 3500 FT AGL, HE RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO SIMULATE AN ENG FAILURE. THE PVT PLT ESTABLISHED THE ACFT IN A PATTERN TO THE ARPT. AFTER CROSSING OVER THE ARPT AT ABOUT 1200 FT AGL, HE MANEUVERED TO LAND ON RWY 31. HOWEVER, ON FINAL APCH, THE ACFT ENTERED A RAPID SINK RATE & SUBSEQUENTLY HIT A FENCE BEFORE REACHING THE RWY. THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.
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: 283 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 247 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,798 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 22, 1984; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STS Santa Rosa CA at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,570 ft by 31 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.