Piper PA-28-181 accident near Hesperia, California, April 8, 1986
On April 8, 1986 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N5889V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hesperia, California (Hesperia Air Lodge airport). It was an instructional 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
- April 8, 1986 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hesperia, California · Hesperia Air Lodge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N5889V · registry record · serial 28-7790507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THE STUDENT PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A 3910-FOOT-LONG RWY WHICH HAD ITS LANDING THRESHOLD DISPLACED BY 550 FEET. THE WIND WAS LIGHT & VARIABLE, & THE STUDENT PLT WAS LOW ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE AIRPORT'S PERIMETER FENCE. THE STUDENT PLT HAD A TOTAL OF 11.9 PIC HRS. & 52.7 DUAL FLIGHT HRS.
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: student
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,915 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 8, 1985; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L66 Corona CA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: L66 Corona CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,910 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N5889V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.