Piper PA-32-300 accident near Santa Maria, California, November 28, 1985
On November 28, 1985 at about 3:50 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N32998, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Maria, California (Santa Maria Public airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- November 28, 1985 · about 3:50 am local time
- Place
- Santa Maria, California · Santa Maria Public · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N32998 · registry record · serial 32-7540079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER COMPLETING A NIGHTTIME BUSINESS FLIGHT, THE PLT LANDED AND TAXIED TO PARKING. ENROUTE THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TAXI BETWEEN TWO HANGARS AND AROUND A WASH RACK. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH AN UNMARKED CURB ADJACENT TO THE WASH RACK AND THE GEAR COLLAPSED BENDING THE RIGHT WING. THE PLT STATED THAT THE CURB PROTRUDED INTO AN AREA OF THE RAMP WHERE ACFT ARE PERMITTED TO TAXI.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,963 hours in all; 444 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 6,571 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,864 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 28, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L52 Oceano CA at 1:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,170 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.