Piper PA-28-140 accident near Rancho Mirage, California, August 10, 1986
On August 10, 1986 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N56189, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rancho Mirage, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- August 10, 1986 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Rancho Mirage, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N56189 · no longer on the register · serial 7325587
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE LOST POWER ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES AFTER TAKE-OFF AND A FORCED LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED. DURING THE INVESTIGATION THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUN. IT RAN ROUGH AND WOULD DEVELOP ONLY PARTIAL POWER. THE CARBURATOR WAS DISASSEMBLED AND A PIECE OF FABRIC WHICH MEASURED 1 AND 1/4 INCHES BY 3 INCHES WAS OBSERVED IN THE CARBURATOR VENTURI SECTION. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PIECE OF FABRIC, WHICH RESEMBLED ASBESTOS IN APPEARANCE AND TEXTURE HAD BECOME DISLODGED FROM THE FORWARD END OF THE CARBURATOR HEAT SHROUD WHERE IT HAD BEEN UTILIZED AS A SHIM.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,421 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,317 as pilot in command; 1,769 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,407 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1986; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 5:05 am
- Destination: UDD Bermuda Dunes CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 am from PSP, 5 miles away
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.