Piper PA-28-160 accident near Chino, California, May 17, 1986
On May 17, 1986 at about 3:21 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5412W, was destroyed in an accident near Chino, California (Chino airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 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
- May 17, 1986 · about 3:21 pm local time
- Place
- Chino, California · Chino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5412W · no longer on the register · serial 28-432
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A 5.3 HR FLT, THE PLT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN & WAS HI ON BASE & FINAL APCH. HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND, BUT THE ENG LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AT ABOUT 200' AGL, JUST PAST THE DEP END OF THE RWY. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE RWY. THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN IN A NOSE HI ATTITUDE, THEN PITCHED DOWN & HIT THE GND BFR THE PLTCOULD RECOVER. ALTHO THE FUEL SYS REMAINED INTACT, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS OR LINES. AN INV REVEALED THE PLT HAD TAKEN OFF WITH THE ACFT LOADED 264 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT & WITH THE CG JUST AHEAD OF THE FORWARD LIMIT. HE HAD ESTIMATED 4.4 HRS EN ROUTE, BUT HAD EXTENDED HIS VFR FLT PLAN BY .7 HR. CALCULATIONS SHOWED THAT IF THE ACFT HAD BEEN LOADED WITHIN ITS MAX LIMITS, 42 TO 44 GAL OF FUEL WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED FOR THE FLT. HOWEVER, FLT TEST DATA SHOWED THAT WITH THE ACFT'S EXTRA WT & FWD CG, APRX 51.5 GAL OF FUEL WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED. TOTAL USABLE FUEL FOR THE ACFT WAS 48 GAL. THE PLT HAD WORKED A NORMAL SHIFT (1600 TO 2400 HRS) PRIOR TO THE FLT. ARPT WAS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE AT 1300.
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: 196 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 161 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1985; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FHU Fort Huachuca AZ at 10:10 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 3,856 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:21 pm from CNO
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.